Factors affecting web links between European higher education institutions

We examine the extent to which the presence and number of web links between higher education institutions can be predicted from a set of structural factors like country, subject mix, physical distance, academic reputation, and size. We combine two datasets on a large sample of European higher education institutions (HEIs) containing information on inter-university web links, and organizational characteristics, respectively. Descriptive and inferential analyses provide strong support for our hypotheses: we identify factors predicting the connectivity between HEIs, and the number of web links existing between them. We conclude that, while the presence of a web link cannot be directly related to its underlying motivation and the type of relationship between HEIs, patterns of network ties between HEIs present interesting statistical properties which reveal new insights on the function and structure of the inter organizational networks in which HEIs are embedded. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.