Governance and resource strategies in Ghana’s dual-sector higher education: a case study analysis

Ownership structures play a critical role in shaping governance dynamics, institutional autonomy, and sustainability strategies within higher education systems. This study comparatively examines how ownership configurations influence resource dependencies and governance arrangements in a public stakeholder-owned university and a private faith-based university in Ghana. Drawing on Resource Dependence Theory and complemented by insights from Institutional Theory, the study employs a qualitative comparative case study design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 28 participants, including senior administrators, faculty members, and governing council representatives, and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that public universities, characterized by high reliance on state subventions, experience concentrated political resource dependence that shapes governance oversight, strategic flexibility, and decision-making processes. In contrast, private faith-based universities exhibit diversified funding structures that enhance managerial agility but introduce market-based and normative pressures linked to tuition dependence and religious affiliation. While both institutional types adopt buffering and bridging strategies to manage external dependencies, the form and intensity of governance constraints differ significantly across ownership models. The study extends Resource Dependence Theory to the context of Sub-Saharan African higher education and demonstrates the importance of integrating legitimacy-based considerations when examining mission-driven institutions. The findings underscore the need for policy frameworks that balance institutional autonomy, accountability, and sustainability, including revenue diversification targets for public universities and strengthened governance professionalization in private institutions. These insights contribute to ongoing debates on ownership, governance reform, and sustainability in dual-sector higher education systems.