Organisational identities, boundaries, and change processes of technical universities

Abstract

The volume is concerned with how technical universities respond to external influences but also are guided by internal processes of identity formation and reshaping of ideals and boundaries. In this chapter, we present two lines of inquiry and introduce the chapter contributions of the volume. An overarching question driving our research is what it means to be, or not to be, a technical university. The two main lines of inquiry, both related to the organisational identity of technical universities, are focusing on: (i) formation of ideals and boundaries and (ii) responses to change and how it relates to formation and re-negotiations of identity. Empirically, the volume limits its scope to Europe drawing on experiences from various national contexts. The empirical analysis focuses on identity formation processes but is nevertheless informed about ideas (and ideals) associated with technical universities.