Restructuring Higher Education for Public Service: Implications of the EIMPA–IDM Merger on Academic Staff

Abstract

The Ministry of Public Service initiated a structural reform process of merging the Eswatini Institute of Management and Public Administration (EIMPA) and the Institute of Development Management (IDM). This reform followed the dissolution of the IDM tripartite partnership among Botswana, Lesotho, and Eswatini, which governed IDM. The merger aimed to establish a single, nationally governed institution for civil service training. While the policy rationale for the merger was articulated in official statements, its potential implications for EIMPA's academic staff were not formally examined. This study investigated the anticipated impact of the proposed merger on EIMPA academic personnel. It focused on how lecturers perceived the transition in relation to their job security, roles, institutional affiliation, professional identity, and participation in the process. This transition raised critical questions about its implications for the academic staff, about whether they would be automatically retained in the merged entity, redeployed, or expected to reapply. A descriptive case study design was employed, targeting all thirteen academic staff. Given the small population size, the study used a census sampling approach, enabling full participation. Data were collected through structured questionnaires, allowing for both quantitative and qualitative data. The findings generated insights to inform more inclusive and transparent merger processes. It also contributed to the broader discourse on institutional restructuring in public service education, particularly in small states undergoing administrative reforms. Ultimately, the study aimed to support evidence-based decision-making and ensured that the voices of academic staff were considered in shaping the future of public service training in Eswatini.