Higher Education Reform in Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Institutions - Responses from French institutions to quality management imperatives

Abstract

This thesis investigates how Roman Catholic ecclesiastical higher education institutions (EHEIs) in France are responding to the Holy See’s higher education reform, particularly the implementation of a new quality assurance (QA) policy. These institutions are challenged to preserve their theological identity while responding to international higher education trends and evolving societal expectations. This dual imperative creates a managerial tension that serves as the focal point of this study.

Using a multi-method approach, combining a national survey, comparative case studies and documentary analysis, the research first investigates how French EHEIs navigate this tension through the lens of organizational ambidexterity, which is the capacity to balance gradual change (exploitation) and radical innovation (exploration). The second stage of the research examines how managerial actions influence ambidextrous organizational behavior.

Findings reveal varying degrees of ambidextrous adaptation across institutions, shaped by managerial practices, institutional culture, and external contextual constraints. Contrary to expectations, quality assurance requirements played a limited role in driving innovation. Instead, organizational survival pressures, particularly declining enrollments and evolving student expectations, emerged as the primary catalysts for change. The study also confirms the relevance of four types of managerial actions in the development of innovative practices.

Despite representing a global network of 792 institutions serving 65,000 students, ecclesiastical higher education remains remarkably under-researched, yet it represents a new playing ground to test and extend knowledge. The study contributes to existing scholarship on organizational adaptation in tradition-bound contexts by illustrating how regulatory pressures intersect with institutional cultures and managerial practices. Specifically, the study proposes theoretical concepts and a comprehensive model to understand organizational adaptation that, while requiring further validation, offer potential extensions to theory. It also informs QA practitioners by highlighting the managerial actions that support innovation ambidexterity in resource-constrained and highly regulated environments, and provides insights to policymakers involved in shaping higher education regulations globally.

Date of Award	12 Nov 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bath
Supervisor	Juani Swart (Supervisor) & Fiona Hunter (Supervisor)