Title: Academic institutional merger: an emerging UAE experience

Authors: Ghaleb A. El-Refae; Abdelhafid Belarbi

Addresses: College of Business, Al Ain University, P.O. Box 64141, Al Ain, UAE ' College of Business, Al Ain University, P.O. Box 64141, Al Ain, UAE

Abstract: The mounting pressures of internationalising higher education, the quest for recognition from international accreditation bodies, the drive for higher global academic rankings, and the rising prevalence of distance learning and remote work collectively appear to foster a new wave of university mergers. In response to these dynamics, the United Arab Emirates initiated a significant merger in 2017, consolidating three prominent academic institutions to form Khalifa University: the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, the Petroleum Institute, and the Khalifa University of Science, Technology, and Research. This strategic merger seeks to integrate multidisciplinary research and education in engineering, energy, and renewable resources. This paper aims to critically evaluate this strategic merger, as each constituent institution possesses distinct missions, goals, and challenges, thereby marking a notable institutional transition.

Keywords: internationalisation; higher education; university merger; change management; quality education.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEBR.2024.139315

International Journal of Economics and Business Research, 2024 Vol.28 No.1, pp.17 - 27

Received: 29 Jul 2021
Accepted: 03 Jan 2022
Published online: 01 Jul 2024 *

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