Abstract
Today, China stands out as a good example in terms of higher education institutional mergers, given its accumulated experience and great number of cases of university mergers compared to other countries around the world. This Paper aims to examine mergers in Chinese higher education institutions (CHEIs) by reviewing and analyzing an extensive body of literature on these CHEI mergers and drawing lessons for Tanzanian higher education institutions (THEIs). The study also aims to closely examine some critical aspects of CHEI mergers such as merger policies and restructuring strategies. From the analysis, the study uncovers five CHEI merger solutions, including: Joint Construction, Institutional Amalgamation, Cooperative Administration of Institutions, Transfer of Jurisdiction and Participation of Other Social Sectors in Institutional Operation, from which THEIs can draw inspiration as they lead to academic programs benefits, improved student enrollment, personnel benefits, educational quality enhancement, and financial resource benefits. It is hoped that this study will contribute to narrowing the research gap in university merger studies. It also has a potential to better assist higher education institutions, decision-makers, policy-makers and other higher education stakeholders in planning and implementing higher education merger policies. Keywords: Higher education mergers, Institutional Mergers, CHEIs, THEIs, Merger policies DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/11-2-09 Publication date: January 31 st 2021
Highlights
Higher education mergers have become an important phenomenon for some national governments in their quest to resolve the number of problems facing higher educational institutions such as quality of education, institutional fragmentation, financial difficulties, academic viability, institutional efficiency, and external threats, those related to global competitiveness (Harman & Harman, 2003)
The establishment of polytechnics in the UK and colleges of advanced education in Australia all occurred as a result of merger processes in the higher education systems of these countries, with the aim of resolving the problems of fragmentation and duplication within their respective educational sectors (Cai & Yang, 2015; Goedegebuure, 1992; Kyvik 2002)
Purpose of the Study This study aims to provide an insight on the success of higher education mergers by examining the policy, strategies, processes and outcomes of Chinese higher education institutions (CHEIs) mergers, which can serve as a benchmark for the improvement of Tanzanian higher education institutions (THEIs), thereby helping Tanzania to build quality and competitive university institutions in the Eastern African region
Summary
Higher education mergers have become an important phenomenon for some national governments in their quest to resolve the number of problems facing higher educational institutions such as quality of education, institutional fragmentation, financial difficulties, academic viability, institutional efficiency, and external threats, those related to global competitiveness (Harman & Harman, 2003). In the higher education sector, a sizable body of literature defines mergers as a distinctive form of inter-institutional cooperation It describes mergers as a transfer of ownership in which one or both entities legally disappear and re-emerge as a new entity which has common ownership of the assets of the former organizations (Cai & Yang, 2015; Harman 1989; Lang 2002; Goedegebuure 1992). The establishment of polytechnics in the UK and colleges of advanced education in Australia all occurred as a result of merger processes in the higher education systems of these countries, with the aim of resolving the problems of fragmentation and duplication within their respective educational sectors (Cai & Yang, 2015; Goedegebuure, 1992; Kyvik 2002)
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