Mergers and More: The changing tertiary education landscape in the 21st century
by Leo Goedegebuure
HEIK working paper 2012/01
Dr. Leo Goedegebuure
Abstract
The paper provides an analysis of changes to tertiary education policy and management over the last two decades. Starting with a focus on institutional mergers as a policy instrument for national governments, two different sets of objectives are identified: sorting out the system and raising the bar.
The first is laying the foundations of tertiary education systems that can address issues of autonomy and massification. The second is about positioning institutions for increased global competition. The paper then explores the increasingly complex world of interorganisational relationships through providing a brief case study of Australian tertiary education.
It is argued that much of today’s dynamic in tertiary education is about strategic positioning in increasingly competitive environments. Mergers will continue to play a role in this, but they are but one option in a much wider set of national and institutional strategies.
