University mergers need to confront identity issues

By Igor Chirikov. Recently the Russian government announced far-reaching plans to support 15 leading research universities in their efforts to achieve international competitiveness and have an impact on global university rankings.
Selected universities will receive special state grants for development after rigorous analysis of their current positions and in exchange for a number of institutional transformations in governance and academic systems.
It is expected that at least five Russian universities will be among the top 100 in the world by 2018. These plans are consistent with preceding governmental efforts to restructure the higher education system and develop world-class universities through centralised state initiatives. Read more...