Who shall pay for the public good? Comparative trends in the funding crisis of public higher education (original) (raw)

Political economy of higher education and socio- economic crises: global and national perspectives

Based on a quantitative history of higher education (HE), the paper shows how a revival of public funding can reverse a mechanism of public-private substitution of HE income and drive a sustainable and fairer HE system capable of playing a key part in the counter-cyclical transformations of the socioeconomic system necessary to overcome the crisis. Escaping the mechanism of substitution also widens the current focus of the political-economic funding settlement of HE on the individual economic returns and gives recognition to its collective economic returns as well as its non-economic benefits. The paper also explores how a change in the process of internationalisation of HE might generate countercyclical transformations at the global level. The crisis might offer an opportunity to contribute to address the global HE tetralemma and its competing demands of growth, democracy, equity and the environment. Ce papier montre, à partir d'une histoire quantitative de l'enseignement supérieur (ES), qu'un renouvèlement de l'effort public visant à inverser le mécanisme de substitution public-privée du financement de l'ES peut conduire à un système soutenable financièrement et plus juste, capable de jouer un rôle clef dans les transformations socio-économiques contra-cycliques nécessaires à la résolution de la crise. Echapper au mécanisme de substitution permettrait également d'élargir les choix d'économie politique de l'ES au-delà des seuls rendements individuels financiers en reconnaissant davantage les bénéfices collectifs, économiques ou non. Le papier explore également comment un changement du processus d'internationalisation de l'ES peut contribuer à adresser le tetralemma de l'ES global lié aux tensions entre les demandes en terme de croissance, démocratie, équité et environnement.

Impact of the recent economic crisis on tertiary education funding - a comparative study

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2018

We examined how the recent global economic crisis and the necessary cuts in public expenditure affected the funding for tertiary education in European countries. We clustered the countries into two groups with respect to the severity of the impact of the global crisis on their economies. Then, we comparatively studied the changes in the funding of tertiary education during the recent economic crisis. We found that tertiary education was less exposed to austerity measures than the education sector as a whole and, in the group of countries that were more affected by the crisis, several countries decreased the share of public expenditure on tertiary education. We also found that, on average, countries with high pre-crisis public spending on tertiary education increased the share of GDP for tertiary education more than those with low pre-crisis spending. Overall, the results of our research show how the governments of different countries adjusted public funding for tertiary education during the economic crisis.

Changes in Higher Education Public Funding During Economic and Financial Crisis

2014

European higher education systems are at stake, since global economic and financial crisis emerged in 2009. The aim of the paper was to test the research question: How did higher education funding change in response to the crisis (compared with pre-crisis period)? We observed changes in higher education funding during crisis through three indicators in comparative perspective to pre-crisis period. We found that we cannot provide any clear patterns, since there are different responses to the crisis resulting from different funding traditions. Nevertheless, we also found significant differences in expenditures on tertiary education as % of GDP between two groups of countries. Countries that invested high levels of funding on tertiary education before the crisis did also increase their investment during the crisis. On the other hand, we found no significant differences between groups of countries regarding two other indicators, namely the annual expenditures for public and private tertiary education institutions per student and financial aid to students.

International trends in the public and private financing of higher education

Prospects, 2011

Beginning by analyzing the major qualitative and quantitative changes in higher education around the world, this article examines international trends in their financial implications. It then demonstrates the state's inability to bear the entire rising financial burden, and explores the role of self-financing, and of the non-profit and for-profit private sectors, in sharing the enrolment and the cost burden. Examples of cost-sharing from around the world are given, with an analysis of the complexities and ambiguities of the meanings of public and private in reference to financing higher educational institutions. A discussion of private-public partnerships follows, and of the role that non-profit and forprofit cross-border higher education plays in financing. The conclusion offers eight policy themes for coping with the underlying situation of financial strategy and the simultaneous need to supplement scarce public revenues with private revenues, meanwhile increasing access to and participation in higher education for those not yet benefiting from it. Keywords Higher education finance Á Resource allocation Á Cost sharing Á Private higher education Á Privatization of public higher education Á Cross-border higher education Á Student financial assistance All over the world, higher education is at a crossroads today. Significant changes, both qualitative and quantitative, are challenging and changing institutions of higher education and the roles these institutions are playing in their economies and larger societies. Among the most salient qualitative changes are the following five. First, developments in information and communication technology (ICT) are revolutionising our day-today lives as well as our colleges and universities. ICT is the source of

The Impact of the Financial Crisis on American Public Universities

2012

The impact of the financial crisis on higher education has been considerable, and the crisis may lead to reduced funding for education from all sources – government, private sector and households. There are a number of effects on the financial situation of the American public universities. Most of them come about as a direct result of the global economic situation. While both developed and developing countries are affected, it is not always in the same way. A key modifying factor is the shape and structure of the higher education system within each country, which can produce different outcomes in each particular country. The American higher education system has been much affected by the financial downturn. Unemployment has continued to climb, and job availability for young people is low. At the same time, the cost of tuition at private colleges and state four-year universities has continued to grow. As a result, with a greater need for higher education, but fewer financial resources...