Part I: Setting the Stage -- Chapter 1: A world full of mergers: The Nordic countries in a global context. Rómulo Pinheiro, Lars Geschwind and Timo Aarrevaara -- Part II: Path Dependencies & System Dynamics -- Chapter 2: Mergers in Norwegian higher education. Svein Kyvik and Bjørn Stensaker -- Chapter 3: Conflicting Rationalities: Mergers and Consolidations in Swedish Higher Education Policy.…