INSTITUTIONAL ARROGANCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND NIGERIA

Abstract

The comparative qualitative study explores institutional arrogance in higher education in the United Kingdom and Nigeria. Based on an interpretivist and critical institutional approach, authors reviewed twenty-eight documents and four case studies (three from the UK and one from Nigeria). The reviewed focused on articles published between 2014-2024. A thematic content analysis reveals similar patterns in the UK and Nigeria, such as prioritization of reputation over transparency, defensive response to critique, hierarchical decision-making, and lack of transparent complaints and accountability mechanisms. However, the structural drivers of these conditions differ. In the UK, institutional arrogance is shaped by marketization, global ranking regimes, and managerial governance logics. Political interference, chronic underfunding, and weak regulatory and governance structures influence this practice in Nigeria. Underpinned by Institutional Theory and Epistemic Injustice Framework, the study conceptualizes institutional arrogance as a systemic condition that marginalizes stakeholder voices and erodes accountability, legitimacy, and trust. The study concludes with policy-relevant recommendations for reforms in governance, transparency, stakeholder participation, and the development of an institutional culture of humility to underpin more inclusive, adaptive, and socially responsive higher education systems.