Mergers in European Higher Education: Financial Issues and Multiple Rationales

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2019

Authors

Rocha, V (Author) Other; Teixeira, Pedro N. (Author) FEP; Biscaia, Ricardo (Author) FEP

Journal

Title: Higher Education Policy

Vol. 32 No. 2

Pages: 185-202

ISSN: 0952-8733

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 9 Citations

Scopus - 11 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00N-FXT

DOI: 10.1057/s41307-017-0076-2

Abstract (EN): In recent years, mergers have been widely used in higher education (HE) to achieve a variety of purposes, ranging from problems of institutional fragmentation to the lack of financial and academic viability, and low institutional efficiency and quality. However, despite a large stream of HE literature addressing those issues, there has been little attention to the link between funding-related problems and merger processes. Moreover, there is very little comparative research among different higher education systems experiencing those processes. In this paper, we map and characterize the recent experience of 25 European countries with these processes, aiming at identifying main patterns regarding key drivers and motivations. We also analyze the main difficulties identified, the role of funding and financial incentives and, whenever possible, the main impacts and economic gains associated with those merger processes. © 2018 International Association of Universities

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific