Leadership and Governance in the Process of Merger of Two Nursing Schools Sofia Sousa Carina Correia Pedro Silva Sofia Sousa Carina Correia Pedro Silva CIPES ESEnfC CIPES (Centre for Research in Higher Education Policies) & ESEnfC (Nursing School of Coimbra)

Presentation The Project Merger and Acquisition Merger and Nursing Leadership and Governance Empirical Study of the NSC Merger Conclusion The Project Merger and Acquisition Merger and Nursing Leadership and Governance Empirical Study of the NSC Merger Conclusion

The Project PESEnfC: a project about a process of merger of two nursing schools - Nursing School Bissaya Barreto (NSBB) and Nursing School Ângelo da Fonseca (NSAF) into a new school - Nursing School of Coimbra (NSC) Partnership between CIPES and NSC 8 Researchers PESEnfC: a project about a process of merger of two nursing schools - Nursing School Bissaya Barreto (NSBB) and Nursing School Ângelo da Fonseca (NSAF) into a new school - Nursing School of Coimbra (NSC) Partnership between CIPES and NSC 8 Researchers

Aims of the Project Contribute to the conceptualization of the process of mergers in Portuguese higher education Discuss organizational and institutional dimensions of the process Discuss professional dimensions of mergers in higher education Discuss governmental, institutional and professional dimensions as they are perceived by teaching staff, non-teaching staff and students Contribute to the conceptualization of the process of mergers in Portuguese higher education Discuss organizational and institutional dimensions of the process Discuss professional dimensions of mergers in higher education Discuss governmental, institutional and professional dimensions as they are perceived by teaching staff, non-teaching staff and students

Methodology of the Project Documental analysis Content Analysis Interviews: 23 teachers, 4 non-teachers and 3 students of both previous schools and key-actors of the all process of merger, including politicians and ex- leaders of NSBB and NSAF Documental analysis Content Analysis Interviews: 23 teachers, 4 non-teachers and 3 students of both previous schools and key-actors of the all process of merger, including politicians and ex- leaders of NSBB and NSAF

Merger “Combination of two or more separate institutions into a single new organizational entity, in which control rests with a single governing body and a single chief executive body, and whereby all assets, liabilities, and responsibilities of the former institutions are transferred to the single new institution”. (Goedegebuurre 1992, p.16) “Combination of two or more separate institutions into a single new organizational entity, in which control rests with a single governing body and a single chief executive body, and whereby all assets, liabilities, and responsibilities of the former institutions are transferred to the single new institution”. (Goedegebuurre 1992, p.16)

Mergers and the field of higher education: NSC as a horizontal merger (similar academic field and product orientation) Acquisition? Retention of original identity?... Mergers and the field of higher education: NSC as a horizontal merger (similar academic field and product orientation) Acquisition? Retention of original identity?... Merger and Acquisition

Merger and Nursing Disciplinary field and ‘scientific knowledge’ Practice The future integration of NSC in the University of Coimbra Disciplinary field and ‘scientific knowledge’ Practice The future integration of NSC in the University of Coimbra

Leadership Vision, trust and adhesion (Aubert, n.d.) Management and Leadership Leadership: “Leadership can be regarded as an individual capacity to effectively influence and motivate others with respect to the achievement of organisational goals, strategies and objectives”. (Meek 2003, p. 12) Vision, trust and adhesion (Aubert, n.d.) Management and Leadership Leadership: “Leadership can be regarded as an individual capacity to effectively influence and motivate others with respect to the achievement of organisational goals, strategies and objectives”. (Meek 2003, p. 12)

Governance “The management of this allocation at the various levels, its implementation and evaluation [being developed in] (…) the realm of ‘policies’ under the aegis of government rule”. (Magalhães and Amaral, forthcoming) “The management of this allocation at the various levels, its implementation and evaluation [being developed in] (…) the realm of ‘policies’ under the aegis of government rule”. (Magalhães and Amaral, forthcoming)

Governance and... Governance and management Governance and governing: changing relationship NPM Managerialism Institutional autonomy Governance and management Governance and governing: changing relationship NPM Managerialism Institutional autonomy

Empirical Study of NSC Results for this paper – based on documents and interviews. Interviews: six key-actors – two were former directors of NSBB; two were former directors of NSAF and two were leaders in the way the process of merger (idea of merger and movements related to that) has developed. Results for this paper – based on documents and interviews. Interviews: six key-actors – two were former directors of NSBB; two were former directors of NSAF and two were leaders in the way the process of merger (idea of merger and movements related to that) has developed.

big concern of the Govern: rationalization and consolidation of public higher education institutions in general and health education institutions in particular. Resolution of the Council of Ministers nº 140/98, 4th December – two measures that are important for our study.

This Resolution also created a Mission Group to make the link between government decisions and the nursing interests. → Governing and Governance levels appear to be mediated by this mission group. The nursing schools, their directors and part of teaching staff saw in the Resolution the opportunity to make step towards the University and started all kind of procedures to make it happen.

Decree-law nº 99/2001 – created the Polytechnic Health Institutes (in Coimbra, Porto and Lisboa), integrating nursing and health technology areas. Was interpreted by the nursing schools of Coimbra as an impossibility to achieve their goal to joining the university. → more movements. August 2001: the President of Republic did not pass this decree. Decree-law nº 175/2004, 21st July – established the merger of the nursing schools.

Complex process – demonstrates that is possible achieve actors goals even when they are against political power. “It was interesting; was one of the experiences which affected very much the process. I have always believed that after things were written and published there was no turning back”. (Interview C)

Governing level was strongly contested and confronted by the Governance level. Following Magalhães and Amaral: ‘realm of policy’ (Polytechnic Health Institutes) was contested by the ‘rules’ and ‘power relationships’ inside nursing field and nursing schools. – Changes in original policy.

NSBBNSAF 35 years and a strong leadership 125 years and a strong leadership Same director in charge since the beginning Same director in charge for more than 20 years She assumed to put nursing above any value He supported the idea that being the first and larger one, the NSAF was also the best.

Those leaders were close in terms of power, but different in terms of their leadership – Their vision, their trust and their support within and without their own institution created two different schools.

NSBBNSAF More modern and creative environment Less modern and creative environment Betted their education in clinical teaching Centred their education in the classroom More democratic and participative culture Weaker participative ethos and less open to their own community

In spite of these differences, the merger was desirable and became reality in 2004 Goal: Achieve a unique school. New kind of work begun – Merger Coordination Commission Undertake measures to create NSC: creation of workgroups in all different acting areas with members of both schools and promotion of debates in the way to clarify all the process.

Concerns for the new school: - creation of a unique study plan for the graduate degree - creation of scientific-pedagogic units that will base the education process. However, only the effective creation of the new school could legitimize measures and changes. – 23rd June 2006 → Elections for the governance bodies of NSC.

Some elements make us sustain the hypothesis that there is a dominance of the organizational culture of NSBB - its democratic culture and its practice oriented teaching. Composition of the management bodies of NSC → most of them are teaching staff with previous affiliation to NSBB. These facts constitute a relevant indicator to introduce the scenario that the merger is, after all, an acquisition.

Process of Merger – two important dimensions: - the transformation into university education and the integration into the University of Coimbra; - ‘scientific knowledge’ – Health Sciences Research Unit: Nursing Domain → the first major process of the NSC.

Conclusion personal characteristics of the leaderscontext of nursing professional practice bureaucratic-driven approach to governance. The leadership characteristics, governing tools and processes used in the pre-merger institutions were marked both by personal characteristics of the leaders, the context of nursing professional practice and a bureaucratic-driven approach to governance. The process of merger can be seen as a ‘deal’ between the level of governing and governance induced mainly by the process of governance in the context of NSBB, NSAF and NSC. personal characteristics of the leaderscontext of nursing professional practice bureaucratic-driven approach to governance. The leadership characteristics, governing tools and processes used in the pre-merger institutions were marked both by personal characteristics of the leaders, the context of nursing professional practice and a bureaucratic-driven approach to governance. The process of merger can be seen as a ‘deal’ between the level of governing and governance induced mainly by the process of governance in the context of NSBB, NSAF and NSC.

Thank you for your attention!