Merging of universities from the position of the theory of purposeful activity systems

This article falls under the conceptual category. The aim of the article is to apply the theory of purposeful activity systems (PAS) and characteristics of modernization risks to the analysis of managerial, organizational, educational, academic, economic and psychological problems appearing in the process of merging academic end educational departments of the universities (chairs, departments, institutes) and universities themselves in the reorganization process aimed at creating effective higher education institution. The task is to create PAS that would take into consideration real human, intellectual and material resources and construct a university of a new level. The article is inspired by the ongoing process of creating a network of state basic universities in Russia. On the basis of PAS methodology with the use of system functional complexity notion in terms of modernization and innovation aspect the article conducts classification and detalization of positive and negative effects caused by university mergers. The article gives the outline of action system that minimizes negative effect related to this process. Creation of basic universities in the Russian Federation is viewed not only as a multi-level administrative procedure but also as one of the social development factors («catching up modernization). With the help of PAS theory and the means of upgrading behavioral complexity of cognitive, informational, communicative systems during the process of their modernization we have identified specific features of merging their subsystems on different levels (chairs, departments., institutes), revealed main managerial, educational and psychological obstacles hindering the merger as well as those advantages (organizational, labor, economic, educational, academic) that can be gained as the result of a merger. The article shows that from the PAS theory position (with the aim of minimizing negative outcomes) the merger process for educational structures should be cyclical with each cycle based on its own PAS system according to the new initial conditions. According to the authors of the article practical implementation of PAS theory is particularly effective in managing mergers at the stage of design and structural reconstruction of universities on the basis of modular down ward development when the merger process begins with the reorganization of overall university structure on the basis of merging universities opportunities and the future mission of the merged university. Then PAS methodology is used in describing problem maps of internal reorganization of departments (middle level modules) and other structures necessary for university functioning. And finally we come to the last reconstruction stage: reorganization of chairs (basic university component modules). Theoretical importance of the article is in the original use of PAS methodology and evaluation of evolutional role of cognitive and informational structure functional complexity as well as ethno-socio-cultural factors hindering its growth to the problem of university systems (subsystems) merger. Sustainability of PAS theory is supported by the experience of Saratov State University chairs merger. Therefore the authors recommend using this theory for solving merger problems, defining solutions with the participation of all stakeholders and analyzing undergoing activities of different university subsystems (educational, academic, managerial, etc.) which is important for improving the work of university mechanisms.