Some global trends in higher education and the OECD response

1
Some global trends in higher education and the
OECD response

• Richard Yelland
• OECD Directorate for Education
• Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius, Lithuania
• 17 April 2008

2
Tertiary education is growing but in some
places much faster than others
3
Growth in all tertiary qualificationsThe
percentage of persons with a minimum of 2 years
of tertiary education born in the period shown
below (2005)
EAG, 2007 A1.3a
4
Tertiary education is expensivebut in some
places more so than in others
5
Expenditure on educational core services, RD and
ancillary services in higher education
institutions as a percentage of GDP (2004)
of GDP
The US spends more than twice as much per higher
education student as the European Union.

• Some levels of education are included with
  others.
• Total expenditure at tertiary level including RD
  expenditure
• Year of reference 2005.
• Total expenditure at tertiary level excluding RD
  expenditure

B6.2
6
Overall expenditure is rising, and so is
expenditure per studentIn a few countries the
change is significant, but it others it is small
or even negative
7
Changes in the number of students as well as
changes in expenditure on educational
institutions per student, tertiary education
(1995,2004) Index of change between 1995 and 2004
(1995100, 2004 constant prices)
B1.7b
8
Higher education is becoming an increasingly
international concern especially in the
English-speaking countries
9
Student mobility in tertiary education
(2005)Percentage of international students
enrolled in tertiary education
C3.1
Note The data on the mobility of international
students presented are not comparable with data
on foreign students in tertiary education
(defined on the basis of citizenship) presented
in pre-2006 editions of Education at a Glance .
10
There are big differences in tuition fee policy,
but fees are not the only cost factor for
students and their families
11
Average annual tuition feescharged by public
colleges and universities for full-time national
studentsin US Dollars converted using PPPs
(school year 2004/2005)
United States (64)
This chart does not take into account grants,
subsidies or loans that partially or fully offset
the students tuition fees.
Australia (82), Japan (41), Korea (51)
Canada (m)
Israel1 (55)
United Kingdom1 (52)
New Zealand (79), Netherland1s (59)
Italy (56) Austria (37), Spain (43),
Belgium (Fr. and Fl.) (33)
Turkey (27), France (m)
Czech Republic (41), Denmark (57), Finland
(73), Ireland (45), Iceland (45), Norway
(76), Poland (76), Sweden (76)
B5.1
1. Public institutions do not exist at this level
of education and most of the students are
enrolled in government dependent institutions.
12
The relationship between fees, earnings and taxes
is complex, but there is a clear advantage in
being better educated
13
Relative earnings from employment (2005 or latest
available year)By level of educational
attainment and gender for 25-to-64-year-olds
(upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary
education100)

of index
A9.2
1. Year of reference 2002. 3. Year of reference
2004. 2. Year of reference 2003. 4. Year of
reference 2005.
14
Some demographic trends
15
Birth rates well down on the 1960s
16
People live longer
17
Expected demographic changes within the
population aged 20-29 (2005-2015)
2005 100
A11.1
18
Expected demographic changes within the
population aged 30 and over (2005-2015)
2005 100
A11.1
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The OECD response

• Policy analysis
• Data collection and indicator development
• Futures studies
• Capacity-building in governance, management and
  infrastructure
• Sharing good practice

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OECD thematic review of tertiary education

• Objective
• Recommend policies that ensure that capabilities
  of tertiary education contribute to countries
  economic and social goals
• A collaborative, cross-national process to
• Synthesise research-based evidence on the impact
  of tertiary education policies and disseminate
  this knowledge among participating countries
• Identify innovative and successful policy
  initiatives and practices
• Facilitate exchanges of lessons and experiences
  among countries
• Identify policy options and the conditions under
  which they are successfully implemented

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Key features of Review

• A broad range of areas covered
• Governance
• Funding
• Quality assurance
• Equity
• Role in research and innovation
• Academic career
• Links with the labour market
• Internationalisation
• Policy development and implementation
• 24 participating countries
• 14 of which hosted a country review visit

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Key features of Review

• A wide range of stakeholders involved
• And a range of outputs
• 24 Country Background Reports (CBRs)
• 14 Country Notes (Publication series)
• Expert/Background papers commissioned
• Qualitative data collected
• Dissemination Conferences in countries
• International Conference in Lisbon on 3-4 April
  2008
• Final Synthesis Report
• Tertiary education in the knowledge society (3
  volumes)
• Brings together the evidence collected and
  materials produced through the OECD Review and
  presents the key findings and policy messages

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Supporting the Contribution of Higher Education
Institutions to Regional Development

• Respond to initiatives across OECD to mobilise HE
  in support to the third mission of higher
  education
• Synthesise experience into coherent body of
  policy and practice to guide HEIs and regional
  and national governments
• Globally competitive, locally engaged higher
  education and regions OECD 2007

24
Principal findings

• An abundance of action in most regions, but a
  lack of systematic policies
• Lack of funding and other incentives
• Limited co-operation among HEIs and between HEIs
  and stakeholders
• Focus on research, technology transfer,
  business-related competitiveness
• Human capital development knowledge transfer on
  legs often neglected
• HEIs role as good citizens their
  contribution to social, cultural and
  environmental development - not yet embraced
• Common challenge what to do with low tech SMEs?
• Inadequate indicators to measure progress

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Higher education facilities

• These trends have profound implications for
  infrastructure investment
• Forthcoming conference
• Higher education Spaces and Places For Learning,
  Innovation and Knowledge Transfer
• 21-23 May 2008, Otaniemi, Espoo, Finland
• Organised by the Programme on Educational
  Building (PEB)

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A focus on quality

• OECD Education Ministers meeting Athens June
  2006
• OECD/UNESCO guidelines on cross-border tertiary
  education
• Proposed international assessment of higher
  education outcomes
• IMHE Conference Paris 8-10 September 2008
• Outcomes of higher education quality, relevance
  and impact

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Some international drivers

• United States the Spellings Commission a
  culture of testing
• Europe the Bologna Process the development of
  learning outcomes the Tuning project
• Japan and Korea loss of confidence in the
  quality of higher education
• China demand from consumers and those advising
  them
• Australia the development of an export industry

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AHELO feasibility study

• to assess whether reliable cross-national
  comparisons of higher education learning outcomes
  are scientifically possible and whether their
  implementation is feasible
• At Bachelor degree level
• Cross-disciplinary skills (critical thinking,
  problem solving)
• Discipline-specific (eg engineering)
• Choices for the feasibility study
• choose from existing instruments
• develop new assessment material
• Implementation in 5 institutions in 3-6 countries
  across multiple languages
• Countries to determine further steps on the basis
  of the findings

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Key publications on HE

• Tertiary education in the knowledge society ,
  2008
• Education at a Glance 2007 OECD Indicators
• Higher Education and Regions Globally
  Competitive, Locally Engaged, 2007
• Cross-border Tertiary Education A Way towards
  Capacity Development, 2007
• Giving Knowledge for Free The Emergence of Open
  Educational Resources, 2007
• PEB Compendium of Exemplary Educational
  Facilities 3rd Edition, 2006
• Guidelines for Quality Provision in Cross-border
  Higher Education, 2005
• Education Policy Analysis Focus on Higher
  Education -- 2005-2006 Edition
• E-learning in Tertiary Education Where Do We
  Stand? 2005
• Reviews of National Policies for Higher or
  Tertiary Education
• Higher Education Management and Policy

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Thank you richard.yelland_at_oecd.org www.oecd.org/
higher