Inter-University Networks: Rhetorics Vs
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Mae C. Fastner Inter-university Networks: Rhetorics vs. Reality Objectives and Activities of Members of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities Master’s Thesis Public Administration // Policy and Governance Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Hans Vossensteyn, Dr. Harry de Boer, Renze Kolster (M. Phil.) Candidate number: s1578634 March 14th, 2016 Abstract This qualitative study investigates higher education institutions’ engagement in inter-university networks. Inter-university networks are defined as formal, multilateral, multi-purpose and voluntary cooperative arrangements between higher education institutions from multiple countries which are coordinated by an additional administrative layer. This paper seeks to understand to what extent the activities universities perform within inter-university networks actually match their objectives towards these networks. Adopting a multiple-case study design including five European universities of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU), the study builds on the resource dependence theory which predicts that higher education institutions use inter-university networks strategically solely for the achievement of their objectives. The goal of the study is to test the resource dependence theory’s expectation that higher education institution’s objectives towards their inter-university network engagements and the activities which they perform within such networks are aligned with each other. The empirical evidence includes primary data collected mainly through semi-structured interviews. The thesis begins with setting out the research focus and design, followed by an introduction to the phenomenon of inter-university networks including a description of their characteristics and factors of success and failure. Subsequently, the theoretical framework based on the resource dependence theory is outlined and a theoretical expectation guiding the research is developed. After a brief discussion of the methodological approach of the study and the operationalisation of the variables, the thesis moves on to the data analysis. The study finds that the case study institutions actually pursue great parts (75%) of their objectives towards the inter-university network. But, at the same time, they also perform many other activities within the ECIU which do not contribute to their objectives. The case study institutions do not strategically arrange all their network activities as purposeful actions targeted solely at the achievement of the objectives they stated to guide their participation in the ECIU. A substantial number of the case study universities’ objectives towards the ECIU and their activities within the ECIU were found to be misaligned with each other. Consequently, the resource dependence theory could not be confirmed. The thesis discusses factors which might keep institutions from using their inter-university networks for their objectives. It also argues that performing activities which are not aligned with the institution’s objectives can points to an additional value of the network. Finally, the study discusses its limitations and gives recommendations for further research. ii Table of Contents ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................................................. II TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................................................ III LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS, FIGURES, TABLES AND APPENDICES ................................................. IV 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Inter-University networks in a Globalised World ...................................................................................... 1 1.2. Research Focus and Problem Statement ..................................................................................................... 1 1.3. Research Design ............................................................................................................................................... 3 1.4. Overview of the Thesis ................................................................................................................................... 4 2. INTER-UNIVERSITY NETWORKS ...................................................................................... 5 2.1. The Rise of Inter-University Networks ....................................................................................................... 5 2.2. Cooperation in Inter-University Networks ................................................................................................. 6 2.3. Factors of Success and Failure of Inter-University Networks ................................................................. 8 3. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK .......................................................................................... 10 3.1. Theories on Inter-Organisational Cooperation ........................................................................................10 3.2. The Resource Dependence Theory: Principal Assumptions ..................................................................12 3.3. Rationales of Inter-University Networks ...................................................................................................13 3.4. Resource Dependence Theory and the Object of this Study .................................................................17 4. METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................................. 20 4.1. Sampling Strategy: Case Selection ...............................................................................................................20 4.2. Data Collection Strategy and Methods.......................................................................................................22 4.3. Delimitations of this Study ...........................................................................................................................25 4.4. Operationalisation .........................................................................................................................................26 5. ANALYSIS ............................................................................................................................... 31 5.1. Research Setting: The Case Study Universities .........................................................................................31 5.2. Data Description............................................................................................................................................34 5.3. Data Analysis ..................................................................................................................................................45 6. CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION ..................................................................................... 57 6.1. Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................................57 6.2. Discussion .......................................................................................................................................................61 APPENDIX ..................................................................................................................................... 69 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................... 69 iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS DCU Dublin City University ECIU European Consortium of Innovative Universities EU European Union EC European Commission HE Higher Education HEI Higher Education Institution LDP ECIU’s Leadership Development Programme SCTL ECIU's Steering Committee on Innovation in Teaching and Learning SC ESRI ECIU's Steering Committee on Entrepreneurship and Societal Impact of Research TUHH Hamburg University of Technology UAB Autonomous University of Barcelona UiS University of Stavanger UT University of Twente LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Higher education institutions’ objectives towards their network engagements determine their activities pursued within the networks ........................................................................................................................................................... 3 Figure 2: Cumulative growth of formal cooperative arrangements between higher education institutions by number and year in the second half of the 20th century. .......................................................................................................................... 5 Figure 3: The influence of higher education institutions’ objectives towards their network engagements on their activities pursued within the networks based on the resource dependence theory. ............................................................ 18 Figure 4: The influence of higher education institutions’ objectives towards their network engagements on their activities pursued within the networks based on the resource dependence theory including intervening variables. ..... 19 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Factors of success and failure of inter-university networks identified in the literature ........................................ 9 Table 2: The case study universities ...........................................................................................................................................