European student information rise, but financial support falls

The notion of higher education as a public and a public responsibility to change. Most European countries use the cost-sharing, and there is a tendency to shift the burden of studies on students.

There are not many countries in Europe that their domestic students a form of tuition fees charge - about 19 from 26 countries observed in a two-year research project funded by the European Students Union (USE) and the name Financing the Student's Future (FINS), do it.

Denmark, Finland, Malta, Slovenia, Sweden and Norway have free education systems of higher education, at least at the undergraduate level. Austria formally recognized tuition within its legal system, but universities can decide whether the cost of education or not.

Several countries - such as Hungary, Poland and Slovakia - provides subsidized places where some students to pay tuition fees, usually according to academic ability.

Worrying international students

The situation of the international - non-European Union or non-European Economic Area - students are even more worrisome.

Norway and Malta (seen from the 26 countries FINS) are the only countries not complain international student’s special fees. Finland is similar at the moment, but there is a pilot study underway on the impact of the introduction of such fees and even an initiative to change the law on this issue.

FINST also points out that in some countries, such as Ireland and the UK, tuition fees for international students is much higher than for domestic or EU students, and it shows that they have the idea of ​​education as a service and an adopted private property .

The funding gap widens

It is not difficult to extend to the conclusion that the funding gap. For the past 50 years, there has been a significant increase in the number of students in the whole of Europe. This increase can also be observed in a shorter time line - for example, Euro Student Euro stat 2009 showed that the student population has increased by 10% between 2003-04 and 2008-09.

The increase in the student population (basification) not followed by an increase in public funding; in recent years the level of public funding for higher education is declining and have been in some countries there are sections near 50% of the total budget for higher education institutions.

It should soon be addressed, or it will have a very negative effect on both accessibility and quality of higher education.

We at the ESU know that students see the decline in public funding as a very worrying trend and fears that this serious and unpredictable consequences for the student population, such as access to and may have the completion of higher education for students severely restricted from lower socio economic backgrounds and who choose the choice of programs for students or even creating a bubble of student loans.

What is even more problematic that we do not observed any improvements in the system for financing students; indeed, we have noticed an increase in the use of loans to finance study.

We conclude that the situation of the students is getting worse and that there was no sign of any improvement.

Because most of the data used in our study was of 2009 or before, we have not yet succeeded in overcoming the effects of the economic crisis and austerity measures on the financing of higher education had and how it affects the analyze students.

Judging by the cuts already made in the national budget for higher education, we assume that the effects will be negative.

Governments must invest in education

Even Ministers often say they are committed to the provision of public funding for higher education, not the data collected does not support this. Developments so far indicate that most countries are cutting investment in their future, such as higher education.

Changes to public budgets, especially for education, can not be done in a linear path or without careful consideration. They should always include wide consultation between stakeholders on what countries want to achieve and the appropriate way to achieve the goals.

All the stakeholders in the research FINST agreed that higher education has several and varied positive benefits for both individuals and societies; and we would like to believe that there is always an agreement will be that higher education is and will be a public and a public responsibility remains.

Therefore, public funding of the main source of financing remain - both teaching and research in higher education institutions and students.

* Financing the Students 'future is one of the ESU's flagship projects, focusing on financing and in particular on students' opinions about the financing of higher education in European countries. During two years time-span of the project, the EGE writes articles on the most important areas of financing higher education, the design of future funding scenarios and preparing recommendations student policy on the funding of higher education. More information about the project and its outcomes can be found here.

* Dress Primozic is vice-chairman of the ESU.