Strategy Formulation in Australian Higher Education: Deliberate or Emergent?

• In Event: 41.038 - Perspectives on Higher Education Internationalization and Institutional Strategy

Abstract

Little empirical research has been conducted to analyse and understand how universities develop their strategy, and the implications of this at the organisational and system levels. Working with perspectives offered by strategic management theory, and within the case study context of Australian medical education, this paper provides empirical evidence of the strategy formulation process in higher education. The findings suggest, that an environment which either imposes certain conditions, or are static, would lead to a higher degree of deliberate strategies. The paper makes a contribution by providing a basis for universities to “leverage knowledge from research and practice” (AERA, 2016) to manage and lead higher education, and the implications this has in areas such as funding, governance and workforce.

Author

• Marian Mahat, The University of Melbourne