PROMOTERS AND OBSTACLES OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN A MERGED HE INSTITUTION FROM THE UAS STAFF POINT OF VIEW
Abstract
Universities and universities of applied sciences form the higher education sector in Finland. New HE communities in which both sectors cooperate were formed in the latest reform. Our interest is in community feeling and connectedness taking place inside four such new organisations. The research question is: which are the promoters of and obstacles to communality in merged higher education institutions in Finland from the university of applied sciences staff´s point of view? The data is gathered from 42 key persons. The analysis is done in a qualitative way. As promoters, we found spaces, dignity, shared goals, and action. The obstacles were haste, lack of trust, unfamiliarity, and use of spaces. Spaces seem to play a big role: they serve as promoters and obstacles. They can serve as a source for recognition and one´s meaningful share but also as a place to get to know each other and promote action towards goals. And vice versa. Anyway, feeling connectedness is an important source for creating social identity.
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