The pains and gains of incorporation: reflections from inside a redeployed faculty

Abstract

The restructuring of the higher education system in South Africa forms part of the social transformation process of the South African government. The incorporation of the Bloemfontein campus of Vista University into the University of the Free State (UFS) is also part of this process. The literature reveals that strategic institutional leadership, strong governance and staff participation, together with honesty and trust, are crucial factors in ensuring successful mergers/incorporation. Incorporations have been known to fail due to a clash of institutional cultures. Communication among all parties must be open, transparent and effective, but the human factor can be regarded
as the most important aspect of incorporation. This article reports on the findings of a study concerned mainly with the “people issues” within an incorporation process.