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The Dynamics of the Higher Education Sector. Romulo Pinheiro Research Fellow/Stipendiat, UiO Høgskolen i Akershus, March 28, 2008. The Agenda. Higher Education as a social institution The importance of knowledge and rise of ’knowledge society’ ’Human Capital’ and Returns on Education
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The Dynamics of the Higher Education Sector Romulo Pinheiro Research Fellow/Stipendiat, UiO Høgskolen i Akershus, March 28, 2008
The Agenda • Higher Education as a social institution • The importance of knowledge and rise of ’knowledge society’ • ’Human Capital’ and Returns on Education • Types of Higher Education Institutions • Change processes in the last 3 decades • Recent reforms in Norwegian HE • Future outlook & challenges for the sector
What do we mean by HE? Higher Education (Universities & Colleges) Tertiary Education (OECD) + vocational schools (fagskoler) Secondary Education (lower & upper) Primary Education
Why is HE important?Contributions to Society Social (Cohesion) Political (Democracy) Cultural (Identity) Economic (Quality Life) Higher Education/ Tertiary Education
Core Functions of HE Source: Castells (2001)
The Importance of Knowledge Knowledge Era (Post-industrial Society) Industrial Era Agricultural Era
HEIs as Knowledge Institutions ”HEIs critical for the socio-economic development of world nations” (World Bank, World Development Report 1999) ”The new Europe of Knowledge needs strong and robust universities” (European Union, Lisbon Strategy 2000-2010) ”Universities are the ’engines’ of the new Knowledge Economy” (Castells, 2000)
Knowledge economy index Link: Knowledge Economy and Higher education Tertiary education enrollment
Human Capital ”Investments in schooling (incl. HE) deliver higher economic returns for both individuals and societies (economies), thus representing a positive (profitable) public investment.” (Becker 1964, 1993) Dilemmas: Private returns easier to measure than social returns Not all individuals benefit equally, RoE
Economic Returns on Education (RoE) Field of Studies Country of Origin Type of Degree and/or HEI Private Returns $$$ Supply/Demand Factors
Do knowledge-investments lead to global (economic) competitiveness of nations? Bottom-10 Source: World Economic Forum (2006)
More (possible) Linkages: Knowledge Economy Index and GDP Knowledge Economy Index & Gross Domestic Product
How satified are HE Graduates? (European study, incl. Norway; 40.000 resp.) Source: Cheers project
More on Cheers study… NO/SWE: More than 50% graduates began job search before graduation (less than 20% in Italy/France. Source: Teichler (2007)
What about under-represented groups?(QoL of ethnic minorities in Norway) Source: Pinheiro (2005)
More on Ethnic Minorities… Source: SSB
Back to HE…(Types of HEIs) Binary System Of Higher Education Traditional Universities Colleges (høgskoler) Polytechnics Univ. Applied Science Mid to Long-Term (3 to 5 years) Bachelor, Master and PhDs All study fields National/Global orientation Short to Mid-Term (1 to 3 years) Bachelor & Master, + PhDs Focus on Professional Fields Local/Regional Orientation
Relative growth in tertiary entry rates, 2000-2004 (2000=100) Source: OECD Education at a Glance (2006) Refers to tertiary-type 5A programmes
Recent HE Reforms, Norway(last 10 years) Competence Reform (1999) Quality Reform (2003) Stjernø-Utvalget (2008-) Facilitate access to those w/ non-formal qualifications But relevant work experience (adult learners – LLL Agenda) • Bologna Process++ • Degree System (3+2+3) • Internationalisation • ECTS transfers • NOKUT agency/quality • Funding (output/lånekass.) Erosion Binary System Decline of student Population (18-24 y.o) after 2015
Today’s Picture, Norway (2008) Source: SSB (2008)
More challenges… Source: NOU 2008: 35 (Stjernø rapport)
The future HE landscape (4 possible scenarios or models) Flercampus Universitetet i Nord-, Vest-, Sørvest-, Vest-Viken, Øst-Norge. Innlandsuniversitetet, UiO, NTNU Storhøyskole UiO (incl. UMB), Sørvest-, UiB, NTNU, UiT + 6 store høgskoler Netverk Nettverk av selvstendige institusjoner (strategic alliances) Prosess og Differensiering Fusjoner «nedenfra» innenfor nasjonale rammer Source: Stjernø (2008)
How viable are these (4) models? Source: SFSO (2008)
References • Castells, Manuel (2001). Universities as dynamic systems of contradictory functions. In: Johan Muller, Nico Cloete and Shireen Badat (eds.) Challenges of globalisation. South African debates with Manuel Castells, Cape Town: Maskew Miller Longman • European Union (2003). The Role of Universities in reaching the Lisbon Objectives. • World Bank (1999). Knowledge for Development. World Development Report 1998/99. • Castells, Manuel (2000). The Rise of the Network Society. Blackwell. • Becker, Gary (1964, 1993). Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis, with special reference to education. Unic. Chicago Press. • Trow, Martin (1970). Reflections on the transition from mass to universal higher education. • Pinheiro, R. (2005). The Impact of the HE experience in the Quality of Life of ethnic minorities. A Norwegian based study. Master thesis in HE studies, University of Oslo. Online at: http://www.duo.uio.no/publ/pfi/2005/33134/RomuloxPinheiro_minorities_in_higher_education.pdf • Cheers project: http://www.uni-kassel.de/wz1/TSEREGS/metho_e.htm • TEICHLER, ULRICH (2007) Does Higher Education Matter? Lessons from a Comparative Graduate Survey European Journal of Education 42 (1) , 11–34. • Norway, selected readings (in addition to Quality Reform/evaluation and Stjernø report): • Background Report on Norway for the OECD (2005): http://www.regjeringen.no/upload/kilde/ufd/rap/2005/0022/ddd/pdfv/277112-oecd_rapport_tertiaryeduc_05_trykketversjon.pdf • OECD (2006). Thematic review of tertiary education in Norway • Bleiklie, I., Høstaker, R. and Vabø, A. (2000). Policy and Practice in Higher Education: Reforming Norwegian Universities. • Kyvik, S. (2002). The merger of non-university colleges in Norway. Higher Education 44, p. 53.72. • Universitetes rolle in regionen, Av Torunn Lauvdal, rektor ved Universitetet i Agder. http://www.uia.no/no/portaler/aktuelt/nyhetsarkiv/rektor_om_nye_universiteter • SFSO (2008). http://www.sfso.no/upload/forvaltning_og_analyse/samf_ok_analyse/Akt%20kom%20-%20Volden%20m%20fl.pdf • Various publications from NIFU-STEP: http://www.nifustep.no/norsk/innhold/publikasjoner/publikasjonsserier_etter_2004