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Trends in financing higher education: tuition fees and loans . Karina Ufert European Students ’ Union (ESU) Financing Higher Education: In search of effective solutions 28 th June 2013, Warsaw (PL). 30 years of ESU:. From an informal gathering of 7 unions with no budget and no mandate…
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Trends in financing higher education: tuition fees and loans Karina Ufert European Students’ Union (ESU) Financing Higher Education: In search of effective solutions 28th June 2013, Warsaw (PL)
30 years of ESU: • From an informal gathering of 7 unions with no budget and no mandate… • … to a strong union defending students’ rights, with 10 elected representatives, 7 secretariat members and 47 memberunions from 38 countries… • … with a fixed seat around the table in • all Bologna-gatherings and EU • stakeholder meetings
ESU believes, that • Higher education is a public good and public responsibility • Massification is not an excuse to fund less – it is about equipping societies to cope with contemporary demands – matter of priority • Benefits of better education are both for individuals and society as a whole – equal societies do better! See examples of Finland, Sweden, Malta… • Active labor market policies have a long-term impact - education is a strategic investment area
It is all about widening the access • EU2020 target on 40% tertiary attainment level • National access plans (EHEA) • “Rise of the lifelong learning” But, In times of crisis the commitments are barely backed by the budget allocations
Impact of economic crisis: • Cuts on teaching (almost half, OECD) • Cuts on students’ support and facilities (Spain, Portugal) • Outsourcing student support (loans) to private intermediaries (UK, Lithuania, Ireland) • Greater focus on the outcomes (employability discourse) • Introducing/ raising tuition fees (UK, Slovenia) – drop in entrants with lower socio-economic background
Funding system, based on loans: just another bubble • Little hardcore evidence in continental Europe, but sufficiently outside (US, Canada, Chile, UK) • But what we know is enough to draw some general conclusions;
Great misconceptions about the loans • Loans aren’t a tool to enhance social mobility (don’t forget the cultural barrier) • Potential cost of the loan is underestimated – count in all the – lower salary, longer repayment period, higher total amount • Imbalance in the system: should we all go to study MBAs? What about social work?
Overcoming 50% youth unemployment while providing loans? • Full-income contingent loans can exist, as an option • But the policy-making in financing higher education should reflect the reality • Stronger lobby from education community for an appropriate public spending • Investing more in quality accessible education. Without being accessible, even high quality education is worthless for the society.
Thank you! Karina Ufert Chairperson ESU Karina.ufert@esu-online.org +32 473 669892