The Institute for Higher Education Management is part of the Department of Strategy and Innovation at WU and is led by Univ. Prof. Dr. Barbara Sporn.

IHM activities include research, teaching, policy advising and external engagement with different stakeholders, as well as involvement in international associations. Areas of interest at IHM combine theories of business and management applied to the complex organization of universities. With this focus, IHM provides insights for higher education scholars and practitioners but also beyond that for research and practice interested in expert and nonprofit organizational settings.

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Publications

We are pleased to announce that the book Organisational and Management Theories in Higher Education has been published, featuring a chapter by Prof. Barbara Sporn. This insightful book offers forward-looking conceptual tools and a practice-oriented guide for navigating rapid change in higher education amid accelerating technological, economic, and social transformation.

Topic: Presentation  Special Issue (SI) “New Models of the University – Innovative Structures, Adaptive Responses, and Strategic Behavior”

Editors: Barbara Sporn (WU Vienna), Tatiana Fumasoli (University College London), René Krempkow (Brandenburgische Technische Universität Cottbus-Senftenberg), Liudvika Leišytė (TU Dortmund University)

Date: Thursday, February 12, 2026 at 1pm CET

The Editors will introduce the Special Issue, and selected authors will shortly present their contributions, followed by a Q&A session.

Abstract:

As universities worldwide face unprecedented challenges and changes – from technological upheavals to shifting societal expectations and the role of internationalisation – it is important to critically evaluate the role, structure and purpose of higher education institutions. This issue of ZFHE presents contributions that address the evolving models of higher education institutions and the various ways in which they are changing and/or adapting to a rapidly changing environment. The concept of universities as social institutions has long been the subject of scholarly inquiry, from the classical theories of Humboldt and Newman, which emphasise the role of the university in promoting intellectual growth, to more modern perspectives that view universities as dynamic actors in global knowledge economies (Gumport, Slaughter, etc.). More recent theoretical frameworks have shifted the focus to the university's ability to adapt and transform in response to external pressures, including global competition and internationalisation, digitalisation, and changes in public policy and funding models. This issue of ZFHE examines these issues from a variety of perspectives.

Location: online via MS Teams livestream.

Please express your interest by registering with verena.herbsthofer@wu.ac.at

We are pleased to present an interesting publication on the topic "Mergers of Higher Education and Research Institutions: Possible Effects on Research, Teaching, Knowledge Transfer, and International Visibility."

What effects can arise from mergers or other forms of integration, such as institutionalized cooperation between higher education and research institutions? This position paper (White Paper) reviews the international evidence on this question against the backdrop of the highly fragmented Austrian higher education and university sector compared to other European countries, as well as the numerous non-university (basic) research institutions. It highlights various current trends that favor larger entities and provides international examples from European countries.

We are pleased to announce the publication of the Special Issue (SI) “New Models of the University – Innovative Structures, Adaptive Responses, and Strategic Behavior”, by Barbara Sporn et al. You can find the article here.

Save the date: We will organise a talk on the topic on February 12, 2026 from 1 to 2.30 pm. More detailed information will follow.

We are pleased to share some news from CHER 2024: the Special Issue curated after the conference is now online in the European Journal of Higher Education (Vol. 15, Supplement 1).

The issue brings together seven contributions that speak to CHER 2024’s focus on the future(s) of higher education and science, covering topics such as universities’ temporal strategies, Brexit as a policy shock for student mobility, transformations of the academic profession, third-party funding, hybrid learning spaces, digital resistance, and knowledge transfer.

During the upcoming summer term we offer the following courses with interesting (guest-)lecturer:

LV 5155: Business Planning and Performance Management

LV 6074: Strategic Leadership

LV 6073: Fundamentals of Strategic Management and Leadership

LV 4342 + 4699: Professional Development Workshop

LV 6366: Research in Higher Education Science and Management

The WU Course Catalogue for the summer term with dates and details will be online January 19.

The Institute for Higher Education Management and the World Food Programme (WFP) renewed their agreement on a dynamic collaboration aimed at fostering innovation in the fight against global hunger.

Since 2022 IHM and students from the SIMC - Master in Strategy, Innovation and Management Control have worked with WFP teams. The partnership has proven mutually beneficial by offering students valuable opportunities for internships and networking. Their insights are already shaping how WFP learns, innovates and monitors its operations for global food security and the collaboration will expand systematic collaboration in innovation research.

We’re looking forward for much more to come!

The CHER 38th Annual Conference will take place at the University of Catania, Italy, from August 31st to September 2nd, 2026. More information about the conference theme and call for proposals will be available soon on the CHER website. 

A warm congratulations to our colleague, Ana Godonoga, PhD, for winning the Outstanding Paper Award at the 2025 European Higher Education Society (EAIR) Conference in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Her study „Embedding societal impact into education, research and service: The case of business schools” examines how business schools adapt their organizational practices to strengthen their societal impact and the conditions that enable the development of these practices.

We are pleased to announce the publication of the chapter "Organizing for Social Impact in Universities in the DACH Region", co-edited by Barbara Sporn and Ana Godonoga. Access to the document can be found here.