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SUPPLY AND DEMAND ISSUES OF RECASTING HIGHER EDUCATION IN LITHUANIA

SUPPLY AND DEMAND ISSUES OF RECASTING HIGHER EDUCATION IN LITHUANIA. Terry D. Clark Creighton University Omaha, NE USA. About the Author. Professor of Political Science and an active scholar Director of a graduate program (MA) in international relations since 1998

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SUPPLY AND DEMAND ISSUES OF RECASTING HIGHER EDUCATION IN LITHUANIA

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  1. SUPPLY AND DEMAND ISSUESOF RECASTING HIGHER EDUCATION IN LITHUANIA Terry D. Clark Creighton University Omaha, NE USA

  2. About the Author • Professor of Political Science and an active scholar • Director of a graduate program (MA) in international relations since 1998 • Managed an active faculty and student exchange program with Lithuanian universities since 1994 • Taught at Siauliai University (1996) and Vilnius University (1999-2000)

  3. Purpose of the Essay • Briefly consider the state of Lithuanian higher education • Analyze the demand for masters degrees in light of Lithuanian higher education’s capacity to meet the demand • Put forth a best strategy to maximize the production of masters degrees

  4. Analytical Approach • A comparative advantage approach • Lithuania can not supply all of its internal demand for masters degrees • Neither can the European Union • Lithuanian higher education should focus on its relative strengths

  5. The State of Lithuanian Higher Education: A Continuing Crisis • Low faculty salaries • Too little attention to peer reviewed, international publications • Corruption of the education system • Too many universities, too many students

  6. Analysis of the Demand • The demand for masters degrees on Lithuania’s labor market • Other sources of demand for masters degrees • The failure to address multiple sources of demand: the MBA in the United States

  7. The Demand for Masters Degrees on Lithuania’s Labor Market • More masters degrees in technology • Fewer masters degrees in humanities • The same number of masters degrees in the social sciences

  8. The Demand for Masters Degrees in the Knowledge Intense Sector Indicators of Low Comparative Advantage in the Technology Industries: • Low potential market growth in technology • An aging faculty and low student test scores

  9. Table 1. Economic Data by Type Sector for 2004*

  10. Problems in the Technology Industries • chemicals, chemical products, and man-made fibers • % growth in value added is below the national average • EU environmental and regulatory policy • electrical and optical equipment • Low FDI • EU regulatory policy • Increasing foreign competition

  11. The Supply Side • The comparative advantage in Lithuanian higher education • Comparing universities • Comparing disciplines

  12. Vilnius University in Lithuania’s System of Higher Education

  13. Comparing Disciplines • Measures of excellence • The quality of graduates • Faculty research productivity

  14. Research versus Teaching? • A False Dichotomy • Research increases knowledge of the subject • Teaching contributes to understanding research • At the Masters Level • Faculty mentor students in ways of knowing and learning

  15. Faculty Research Productivity • General impediments • Too few possess the necessary competence in English • Too few publish in internationally recognized, peer-reviewed journals • An aging faculty possess Soviet-era qualifications • Overall assessment • Low in most technology sciences • High in some social sciences and humanities

  16. Demand Decreasing market demand technology Increasing market demand the humanities and social science Increasing state demand Social science Supply Decreasing supply Technology Increasing supply Specific centers of excellence in the humanities, social sciences, and medicine Perhaps a few centers in science Supply and Demand of Masters Degrees in Lithuania

  17. A Strategy for Excellence • Leveraging Lithuania’s comparative advantage in higher education • Focus on academic entrepreneurs • Bright faculty are like magnets • They attract bright students • They attract other faculty • They form the center of intellectual milieus • No program is better than its faculty • University Leadership

  18. University Leadership • Reduce the emphasis on the middle • Empower the lead faculty

  19. The Bottom Line Concentrate resources and effort Go with what you have Invest in the best

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