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Your institution is unlikely to merge, but not having a strategy for mergers, acquisitions and partnerships is unsound business practice. Having a MAP framework – from shared services to full acquisition – means that your institution can make partnership decisions strategically rather than out of desperation. A good strategy will take into consideration the need for financial, cultural and operational alignment as well as timing and institutional readiness.
Co-hosted by Inside Higher Ed Editor in Chief Sara Custer and Paul Friga, clinical professor of strategy and entrepreneurship at the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as well as senior consultant at the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB), this webcast will give the history and current state of mergers in higher ed, share management strategy and provide case studies of mergers, acquisitions and partnerships.
Attendees will leave with clear steps towards developing their own MAP strategy and applicable, real-world insights from leaders who have overseen these collaborations.
Can't attend the webcast? You should still register -- all registrants will receive a recording of the webcast and a copy of the presentation slides.
Wednesday, May 27, 2026 | 2 p.m. E.T.
Insider Premium Leadership and Strategy Webcast: Why Every Institution Needs a MAP Strategy: Mergers, Acquisitions and Partnerships
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Senior higher education leaders and decision-makers, including:
- Presidents
- Chancellors
- Provosts
- CFOs
- Board members
ABOUT THE SERIES
This session is the second in a three-part leadership and strategy webcast series focused on the key challenges facing higher education leaders today. Powered by Insider Premium, the series offers actionable advice on financial sustainability, mergers, acquisitions and partnerships, and board-cabinet alignment in turbulent times.
The first session is open to all registrants, while the other two sessions are exclusive to Insider Premium subscribers.
PANELISTS
Ali R. Malekzadeh
President of Roosevelt University
Ali R. Malekzadeh is in his eleventh year as president of Roosevelt University and brings more than 35 years of experience in higher education leadership. An expert in strategic management, leadership and post-merger integration, he has guided Roosevelt through a period of transformation, including the successful integration of Robert Morris University Illinois. Under his leadership, the university has achieved four consecutive years of enrollment growth, secured more than $150 million in fundraising and grants and expanded its endowment significantly. A champion of access and social justice, Malekzadeh founded the American Dream Reconsidered Conference, an annual three-day event free to the public discussing issues related to law, politics and the pursuit of the American Dream. He has received Chicago’s Martin Luther King Jr. Award for diversity twice. Malekzadeh earned his doctorate in business administration from the University of Utah, and a bachelor’s in management and MBA from the University of Denver. Malekzadeh and Dr. Afsaneh Nahavandi, professor of leadership at the University of San Diego, have co-authored two books: Organizational Behavior: The Person-Organization Fit, and Organizational Culture in the Management of Mergers. He serves as a mentor to aspiring and current presidents and provosts of universities.
Sara Custer
Editor in Chief at Inside Higher Ed
Sara Custer became Inside Higher Ed's editor in chief in March 2024. Before joining Inside Higher Ed, she was editor of Times Higher Education's (THE) Campus, a collection of daily resources designed for higher education faculty and staff members to learn, share and connect with colleagues at universities and colleges worldwide. Prior to that, she shaped THE’s online presence as its digital editor, helping to launch THE’s newsletter strategy and overseeing daily, weekly and monthly publications. From 2012 to 2017, she served as editor and senior reporter at The PIE News, covering the international education industry. Sara grew up in Cushing, Okla., and earned a B.A. in English literature from Loyola University Chicago and an M.A. in international journalism from City, University of London.
Paul N. Friga
Clinical Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Senior Consultant at AGB
Paul N. Friga, Ph.D., is a leading strategist and thought leader in higher education with 35 years of experience as a professor, researcher and consultant at UNC Chapel Hill and Indiana University. A clinical professor of strategy and entrepreneurship at UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, he also serves as a senior consultant for the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB), specializing in strategy, mergers, acquisitions and partnerships. His previous roles as a consultant with PwC (where he earned CPA and CMA designations) and McKinsey (including higher education projects) broadened his expertise. Friga co-founded ABC Insights—now part of HelioCampus—to improve university efficiency and effectiveness. He has authored 20+ articles and two best-selling books (The McKinsey Mind and The McKinsey Engagement) and hosted numerous webcasts for Inside Higher Ed and other trade publications. Friga holds an MBA and Ph.D. from UNC Chapel Hill and a double degree in management and accounting (magna cum laude) from Saint Francis University.
REGISTER FOR THE COMPLETE WEBCAST SERIES
Insider Premium Webcast | April 29
➤ Insider Premium Leadership and Strategy Webcast: A New Playbook for Financial Stress
The first session is open to all registrants, while the other two sessions are exclusive to Insider Premium subscribers
Insider Premium Exclusive Webcast | June 24