England : merging to progress

Dual sector institutions evolve or are created via a number of routes (Garrod and Macfarlane 2007). Merger is the most immediate and carries with it the consequential strains of dramatic institutional change. In this chapter the merger of Thames Valley University (TVU) with Reading College and School of Arts & Design (Reading College) is charted. The background and rationale for the merger is documented as are the structural changes that were enacted subsequently. Mergers demand not only structural but also cultural change. The TVU-Reading College merger highlights the importance of cultural change in ensuring the effectiveness of structural change in achieving merger goals