Boston University and Wheelock College, which is located on Boston's Riverway, have entered into formal talks about merging Wheelock with BU.

Wheelock has about 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students, according to a joint statement from the schools. BU has about total 33,000 students.

The campuses are less than a mile apart.

In the joint statement, the schools said they "believe the merger will enhance Boston University’s programs, as well as preserve the mission of Wheelock College to improve the lives of children and families."

"Boston University and Wheelock have in common long traditions of outreach and engagement in the City of Boston and surrounding communities, particularly in the domains of education and social work," BU President Robert Brown said in a campus email.

As BU Today reports: