University Change in Ireland: Understanding the 'What', the 'Why' and the 'How'

Over the past decade, universities in Ireland have been implementing large-scale institutional change designed to better prepare them for the multitude of pressures they face. Changes have been taking place, for example, in approaches to institutional management and leadership practices and in decision-making structures. However, despite the rapid pace of change taking place in Irish universities, there has been a considerable dearth of research resulting in a lack of any real insight into how the higher education landscape may be changing from a grassroots faculty perspective. This article presents the findings of a case study conducted in the School of Business at University College Dublin. The article reports on the kinds of institutional changes that have taken place (the 'what'); the impetus for these changes (the 'why'); and the top-down manner in which many of these changes were implemented and the ways in which faculty have responded to them (the 'how'). The article concludes by suggesting the importance of understanding the possible implications of faculty responses to change for their institutional loyalty and commitment and suggests some areas for further research.