This book addresses the critical knowledge gaps of mergers involving higher education
institutions. It is based on a comparative research project (spring 2013-spring 2015)
investigating the phenomena of mergers involving higher education institutions across the
Nordic countries ¿ Norway Sweden Finland and Denmark. The study involved close to 30 scholars
from the region and aimed at shedding critical light on and providing novel contributions
around the following key aspects: Conceptual and theoretical approaches ¿ strengths and
limitations - towards the study of the phenomena of mergers in higher education Historical
developments leading to significant structural changes in the domestic higher education
landscape and in turn how mergers have been used as a policy institutional mechanism to
foster adaptation to a new external environment at the local national regional and
international levels The complex dynamics inherent to merger processes by undertaking an
in-depth investigation of a series of selected case studies with a particular focus on the
¿black-box¿ associated with the implementation process The implications of the findings as
regards future policy and strategic endeavours theory development and future research agenda.
