{"id":2642,"date":"2025-04-29T07:23:08","date_gmt":"2025-04-29T04:23:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eppd13.cz\/?page_id=2642"},"modified":"2025-04-29T07:32:33","modified_gmt":"2025-04-29T04:32:33","slug":"mergers-and-acquisitions-of-higher-education-institutions-in-ukraine-necessity-or-strategic-choice","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/eppd13.cz\/?page_id=2642","title":{"rendered":"Mergers and Acquisitions of Higher Education Institutions in Ukraine: Necessity or Strategic Choice"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>DOI: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.46340\/eppd.2025.12.2.5\">10.46340\/eppd.2025.12.2.5<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Larysa Shaulska, D.Sc. in Economics<\/strong><br \/>\n<em>Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine<\/em><br \/>\n<strong>Vadym Vergeles<\/strong><br \/>\n<em>Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine<\/em><br \/>\n<strong>Dmytro Baiura, D.Sc. in Economics<\/strong><br \/>\n<em>Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine<\/em><br \/>\n<strong>Vasylyna Kolosha, PhD in Economics<\/strong><br \/>\n<em>Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine<\/em><br \/>\n<strong>Liliia Tarasenko, PhD in Economics<\/strong><br \/>\n<em>Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/eppd13.cz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/2025-12-2\/07.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2167\" src=\"http:\/\/eppd13.cz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/icon72-pdf-eppd.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" data-id=\"2167\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>How to cite: <\/em><\/strong>Shaulska, L., Vergeles, V., Baiura, D., Kolosha, V., &amp; Tarasenko, L. (2025). Mergers and Acquisitions of Higher Education Institutions in Ukraine: Necessity or Strategic Choice. <em>Evropsk\u00fd politick\u00fd a pr\u00e1vn\u00ed diskurz, 12, 2,<\/em> 54-66. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.46340\/eppd.2025.12.2.5\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.46340\/eppd.2025.12.2.5<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Abstract<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The strategic priorities of university development are to ensure the quality of education and advancing research to create societal impact. Implementation of the strategy requires the autonomy of educational institutions and ensuring their participation in regional economic growth through optimized and efficient use of resources. An unpopular but potentially productive mechanism for achieving such goals is mergers and acquisitions (M&amp;A) of universities, which can ensure a more efficient allocation of resources and strengthen institutional capacity.<\/p>\n<p>The article explores the key trends, motivations, and the impact of M&amp;A processes in Ukraine and other European countries, in particular in the context of higher education. A comparative analysis of M&amp;A in business sector and universities has been conducted, allowing the identification of common patterns and unique features of this process in the educational sector. It has been established that under financial constraints, demographic changes, and the current need to enhance international competitiveness, university M&amp;A strategies can ensure the optimization of resource allocation in the academic environment.<\/p>\n<p>The study covers the main trends, causes, and economic factors behind the M&amp;A of Ukrainian HEIs, reflecting the specifics of the Ukrainian higher education system. The paper systematizes the main risks that accompany M&amp;A processes \u2013 cultural, administrative and organizational gaps, financial difficulties, risks to the quality of education, and suggests ways to minimize them.<\/p>\n<p>The obtained results confirm the authors\u2019 hypothesis about the influence of the target setting, which serves as the basis for the merger decision, on the outcomes of this process. A forced or compulsory decision is highly likely to generate more challenges than benefits. In contrast, a conscious strategic move and the implementation of all M&amp;A stages under strategic management can significantly strengthen institutional capacity, improve education quality, and foster innovation and international competitiveness of universities. The authors conclude that the merger process can be a forced response to external pressures, as well as a strategically justified choice aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of higher education.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Keywords:<\/strong> <\/em>mergers and acquisitions, higher education institutions, competitiveness, management efficiency, quality of education, international competition, strategic management, university reorganization, resource optimization<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>References<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Adamu, A. Y. (2019). <em>University Mergers in Finland. Mergers in Higher Education: Practices and Policies. <\/em>STUDERA PRESS, 289-306. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/332834303_University_Mergers_in_Finland\">https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/332834303_University_Mergers_in_Finland<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Bakhrushyn, V. (2023). Modernizatsiia merezhi zakladiv vyshchoi osvity Ukrainy: deiaki yevrointehratsiini aspekty [Modernization of the\u00a0Network of Higher Education Institutions in Ukraine: Some Aspects of European Integration]. <em>Vyshcha osvita<\/em> [Higher Education], <em>5 (26)<\/em>, 112-125.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/science.iea.gov.ua\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/8_Bakhrushyn_526_2023_112-125.pdf\">https:\/\/science.iea.gov.ua\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/8_Bakhrushyn_526_2023_112-125.pdf<\/a> [in Ukrainian].<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Bileviciute, E., et al. (2019). Competitiveness in Higher Education: The Case of University Management.<br \/>\n<em>Journal of Competitiveness,<\/em> <em>11(4),<\/em> 5-21. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.7441\/joc.2019.04.01\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.7441\/joc.2019.04.01<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Bonnet, C., &amp; Schain, P. J. (2020). An Empirical Analysis of Mergers: Efficiency Gains and Impact on Consumer Prices. <em>Journal of Competition Law &amp; Economics,<\/em> <em>16(1)<\/em>, 1-35. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/joclec\/nhaa001\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/joclec\/nhaa001<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Bouwman, C. H. S. (2013). The Role of Corporate Culture in Mergers &amp; Acquisitions. In: Perrault, E. (ed.), <em>Mergers and Acquisitions: Practices, Performance and Perspectives.<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/ssrn.com\/abstract=2307740\">https:\/\/ssrn.com\/abstract=2307740<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Bruce, T. (2012). <em>Universities and Constitutional Change in the\u00a0UK: the\u00a0Impact of Devolution on the\u00a0Higher Education Sector<\/em>. Oxford: Higher Education Policy Institute.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (2021a). <em>Pro utvorennia Ukrainskoho derzhavnoho universytetu nauky i tekhnolohii <\/em>[On the\u00a0establishment of the\u00a0Ukrainian State University of Science and Technology]. <a href=\"https:\/\/zakon.rada.gov.ua\/laws\/show\/258-2021-%D1%80#Text\">https:\/\/zakon.rada.gov.ua\/laws\/show\/258-2021-%D1%80#Text<\/a> [in Ukrainian].<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (2021b)<em>. Pro utvorennia Derzhavnoho biotekhnolohichnoho universytetu<\/em> [On\u00a0the\u00a0Establishment of the\u00a0State Biotechnological University].<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/zakon.rada.gov.ua\/laws\/show\/431-2021-%D1%80#Text\">https:\/\/zakon.rada.gov.ua\/laws\/show\/431-2021-%D1%80#Text<\/a> [in Ukrainian].<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (2021c). <em>Pro reorhanizatsiiu Luhanskoho natsionalnoho ahrarnoho universytetu<\/em> [On the\u00a0Reorganization of Luhansk National Agrarian University].<em><br \/>\n<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/zakon.rada.gov.ua\/laws\/show\/1498-2021-%D1%80#Text\">https:\/\/zakon.rada.gov.ua\/laws\/show\/1498-2021-%D1%80#Text<\/a> [in Ukrainian].<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (2021d). <em>Pro reorhanizatsiiu Universytetu bankivskoi spravy<\/em> [On\u00a0the\u00a0Reorganization of the\u00a0Banking University].<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/zakon.rada.gov.ua\/laws\/show\/1806-2021-%D1%80#Text\">https:\/\/zakon.rada.gov.ua\/laws\/show\/1806-2021-%D1%80#Text<\/a> [in Ukrainian].<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (2024a). <em>Pro reorhanizatsiiu Odeskoho derzhavnoho ekolohichnoho universytetu ta Fizyko-khimichnoho instytutu zakhystu navkolyshnoho seredovyshcha i liudyny MON Ukrainy ta NAN Ukrainy<\/em> [On the\u00a0reorganization of Odesa State Environmental University and the\u00a0Physico-Chemical Institute for\u00a0Environmental and Human Protection of the\u00a0Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine<br \/>\nand the\u00a0National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine].<em><br \/>\n<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/zakon.rada.gov.ua\/laws\/show\/7-2024-%D1%80#Text\">https:\/\/zakon.rada.gov.ua\/laws\/show\/7-2024-%D1%80#Text<\/a> [in Ukrainian]<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (2024b). <em>Pro reorhanizatsiiu Mykolaivskoho natsionalnoho universytetu imeni\u00a0V.\u00a0O. Sukhomlynskoho<\/em> [On the\u00a0Reorganization of V. O. Sukhomlynskyi Mykolaiv National University]. <a href=\"https:\/\/zakon.rada.gov.ua\/laws\/show\/6-2024-%D1%80#Text\">https:\/\/zakon.rada.gov.ua\/laws\/show\/6-2024-%D1%80#Text<\/a> [in Ukrainian]<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Education Reform Act (1988). <em>Legislation<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislation.gov.uk\/ukpga\/1988\/40\/contents\">https:\/\/www.legislation.gov.uk\/ukpga\/1988\/40\/contents<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Higher Education Funding Council for England (2012). <em>Collaborations, Alliances and Mergers in Higher Education: Consultation on Lessons Learned and Guidance for Institutions<\/em>. https:\/\/dera.ioe.ac.uk\/id\/eprint\/13978\/8\/12_06_Redacted.pdf<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (2011). <em>Future Structure of Universities in Wales.<\/em> https:\/\/www.advance-he.ac.uk\/knowledge-hub\/welsh-government-future-structure-universities-wales<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Kalashn\u0456kova, S., &amp; Orzhel, O. (2022). Optymizatsiia merezhi zakladiv vyshchoi osvity: teoretychni osoblyvosti ta\u00a0praktychni rekomendatsii [Optimisation of the\u00a0Network of Higher Education Institutions: Theoretical Features and Practical Recommendations]<em>. International Scientific Journal of Universities and Leadership<\/em>, <em>13<\/em>, 89-129. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.31874\/2520-6702-2022-13-89-129\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.31874\/2520-6702-2022-13-89-129<\/a> [in Ukrainian].<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Kremen, V. H., et al. (2022). Merezha derzhavnykh zakladiv vyshchoi osvity Ukrainy: analitychnyi ohliad konkurentospromozhnosti [Network of State Higher Education Institutions in Ukraine: an\u00a0Analytical Review of\u00a0Competitiveness]. <em>Herald of the\u00a0National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine, 4(1)<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.37472\/v.naes.2022.4122\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.37472\/v.naes.2022.4122<\/a> [in Ukrainian]<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Liu, Q., Patton, D., &amp; Kenney, M. (2018). Do University Mergers Create Academic Synergy? Evidence from China and the\u00a0Nordic Countries. <em>Research Policy, 47(1),<\/em> 98-107. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.respol.2017.10.001\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.respol.2017.10.001<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Musselin, C. (2018). New Forms of Competition in Higher Education. <em>Socio-Economic Review<\/em><em>, 16(3), <\/em>657-683. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/ser\/mwy033\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/ser\/mwy033<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">ReferNet Finland (2010). <em>VET in Europe\u00a0\u2013 Country Report<\/em>. https:\/\/www.cedefop.europa.eu\/files\/2010_cr_fi.pdf<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Shevchenko, L. (2016). Mergers and Acquisitions in Higher Education. <em>Actual Problems of Economics, 11(185), <\/em>160-167. <a href=\"https:\/\/dspace.nlu.edu.ua\/bitstream\/123456789\/12561\/1\/Shevchenko_160-167.pdf\">https:\/\/dspace.nlu.edu.ua\/bitstream\/123456789\/12561\/1\/Shevchenko_160-167.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Tampere University (2019). <em>Tampere3: Towards a\u00a0New University<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\">https:\/\/www.tuni.fi<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">United Nations (2024). <em>Ukraine: Over 6 Million Refugees Spread Across Europe<\/em>.<br \/>\nhttps:\/\/unric.org\/en\/ukraine-over-6-million-refugees-spread-across-europe\/<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Ursin, J. (2019). Higher Education Reforms in Finland: From a\u00a0Ponderous to a\u00a0More Agile System?<br \/>\nIn:<em> Higher Education System Reform<\/em>, 67-77. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1163\/9789004400115_005\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1163\/9789004400115_005<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Ushenko, N., et al. (2023). Strategies for Strengthening Business Economic Security with Account to Global Financial Challenges. <em>Financial and Credit Activity Problems of Theory and Practice<\/em><em>,<\/em> <em>6<\/em><em>(53)<\/em>, 300-317. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.55643\/fcaptp.6.53.2023.4178\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.55643\/fcaptp.6.53.2023.4178<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">V\u00e4limaa, J. et al. (2014). University Mergers in Finland: Mediating Global Competition. <em>New Directions for<\/em><em>\u00a0<\/em><em>Higher Education<\/em><em>, 168,<\/em> 41-53<a href=\".%20https:\/doi.org\/10.1002\/he.20112\">. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/he.20112<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Verlanov, Y. Y., &amp; Kazarezov, A. Y. (2009). Akademichni svobody ta avtonomiia universytetiv: novyi format ekonomichnykh vidnosyn z derzhavoiu [Academic Freedoms and University Autonomy: A new Format of\u00a0Economic Relations with the\u00a0State]. <em>Scientific Papers of the\u00a0Petro Mohyla Black Sea State University. Economics<\/em>, <em>109(96)<\/em>, 32-36. <a href=\"https:\/\/lib.chmnu.edu.ua\/pdf\/naukpraci\/economy\/2009\/109-96-6.pdf\">https:\/\/lib.chmnu.edu.ua\/pdf\/naukpraci\/economy\/2009\/109-96-6.pdf<\/a> [in\u00a0Ukrainian].<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Vitrenko, Yu., et al. (2017). <em>Ekonomichni vidnosyny u systemi vyshchoi osvity: modernizatsiia v umovakh innovatsiinoi ekonomiky<\/em> [Economic Relations in the\u00a0Higher Education System: Modernization in the\u00a0Context of an\u00a0Innovative Economy]. Kyiv: Institute of Higher Education of the\u00a0National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine [in Ukrainian].<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Vlasova, I. (2018). Zlyttia\/ukrupnennia universytetiv za umov rozshyrennia ekonomichnoi avtonomii [Mergers of\u00a0Universities in the\u00a0Context of Increased Economic Autonomy]. <em>International Scientific Journal of\u00a0Universities and Leadership<\/em>, <em>2(6)<\/em>, 117-133. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.31874\/2520-6702-2018-6-2-117-133\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.31874\/2520-6702-2018-6-2-117-133<\/a> [in\u00a0Ukrainian].<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Wilson Center (n.d.).<em> Migration &amp; Displacement<\/em>.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/ukraine.wilsoncenter.org\/migration-displacement\">https:\/\/ukraine.wilsoncenter.org\/migration-displacement<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DOI: 10.46340\/eppd.2025.12.2.5 Larysa Shaulska, D.Sc. in Economics Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine Vadym Vergeles Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine Dmytro Baiura, D.Sc. in Economics Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine Vasylyna Kolosha, PhD in Economics Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv,&#8230; <a class=\"continue-reading-link\" href=\"https:\/\/eppd13.cz\/?page_id=2642\"> Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr; <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":2612,"menu_order":5,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2642","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eppd13.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2642","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eppd13.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eppd13.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eppd13.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eppd13.cz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2642"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/eppd13.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2642\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2651,"href":"https:\/\/eppd13.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2642\/revisions\/2651"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eppd13.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2612"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eppd13.cz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2642"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}