The Academic Identity Changes Through the Post-Merging Process of Tampere University (Faculty of Management and Business)

Abstract

University mergers have become a significant reform tool in European higher education, aiming to enhance efficiency, international competitiveness, and research capacity. However, such structural transformations often bring profound implications for academic staff identity, professional roles, and institutional culture. This study examines the transformation of academic identity in the post-merger context of Tampere University, focusing on the Faculty of Management and Business.

The research adopts a qualitative case study design, combining semi-structured interviews with faculty members and document analysis of strategic plans, governance frameworks, and institutional policies. The analysis is guided by the framework of New Institutionalism, applying its three pillars (regulative, normative, and cultural-cognitive) to investigate how regulations, norms, and shared beliefs shape academic identity in a post-merger university environment.

Findings show that the merger has reinforced Tampere University’s strategic ambition to integrate diverse disciplinary traditions into a multidisciplinary research university with global visibility. The study concludes that post-merger academic identity at Tampere University is characterized by both continuity and change. Faculty members maintain strong disciplinary identities while adapting to new institutional norms emphasising interdisciplinarity, efficiency, and performance.

The paper suggests that strategic communication, inclusive dialogue, and enhanced support systems are important for building a cohesive institutional culture that balances structural reforms with the lived experiences of academics.