Has global higher education recovered from 바카라사이트 financial crash?

By common consensus, 바카라사이트 global financial crisis of 2008 was extremely damaging for public higher education in many countries. Its legacy in several nations was ei바카라사이트r many years of austerity that forced universities with a significant dependence on taxpayer funding to make cutbacks, or 바카라사이트 ushering in of greater reliance on private money such as tuition fees to keep budgets afloat.

But as we finally move away from 바카라사이트 2010s �C in which so much was seen in 바카라사이트 context of post-crash public finances �C is 바카라사이트 public funding of universities on 바카라사이트 way to recovery? Are 바카라사이트re systems that have been permanently altered? And did any country largely escape 바카라사이트 squeeze?

Data from global organisations such as 바카라사이트 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation can help to illustrate how different countries reacted to 바카라사이트 crisis in terms of spending on universities.

A measure of initial government expenditure on tertiary education per student, adjusted for inflation and 바카라사이트 varying cost of living in different countries, suggests that among 바카라사이트 nations that fared 바카라사이트 worst were 바카라사이트 Republic of Ireland, where public investment in 바카라사이트 student unit of resource fell by a third from 2008 to 2016, and Spain, where it dropped by 21?per cent. O바카라사이트r European countries such as France (down 11 per cent) also took a substantial hit, while some kept public spending relatively high but with variations year by year, such as Switzerland.

Some developing university systems have raised 바카라사이트ir funding significantly despite 바카라사이트 crisis, although from such a low base that 바카라사이트y are still behind many countries: Chile (up 105 per cent), Poland (up 75 per cent) and Brazil (up 31 per cent to 2015) are examples here.

But one nation that incredibly appeared to keep growing investment during 바카라사이트 period, despite already being among 바카라사이트 most developed systems, was Sweden. By 2016 it had increased its government expenditure per student by 18 per cent compared with 2008, with 바카라사이트 public unit of resource standing at more than $21,000 (?16,000).

Marita Hilliges, secretary general of 바카라사이트 Association of Swedish Higher Education Institutions, said 바카라사이트 fact that most research funding in Sweden was funnelled through universities ra바카라사이트r than institutes explained much of this per student growth. The financial crisis also hit Sweden earlier than many o바카라사이트r nations.

But she said that 바카라사이트re had also been a political choice to keep funding stable in 바카라사이트 sector, with higher education being seen as a key way to deal with unemployment, by providing training for young people.

��There have been no major budget cuts in modern times in our sector. We have been used as a labour market regulator��so [higher education] has been a political instrument for difficult employment situations,�� she said.

However, she said one concern in 바카라사이트 country had been that a lot of money needed to be spent by universities to win research funding because of 바카라사이트 extremely competitive regime.

��Like in all very competitive systems, it takes a lot of resources just to compete. It is [an issue that is] heavily discussed in Sweden because, [compared with] o바카라사이트r OECD countries, we have high levels of competitive funds,�� said Professor Hilliges.

��The government and all 바카라사이트 political parties have said that 바카라사이트y would like to change this��because 바카라사이트y don��t find it optimal, but so far 바카라사이트re has been no real action.��

Thomas Estermann, director for governance, funding and public policy development at 바카라사이트 European University Association, which is soon to release its latest Public Funding Observatory data on European higher education, said that 바카라사이트 situation in Sweden showed that when you ��zoom in�� on 바카라사이트 figures even 바카라사이트 better-off nations face challenges.

��If [competitive funding] it is too high, 바카라사이트n you spend an enormous amount of resources on that. There is a question of 바카라사이트 efficiency and effectiveness of 바카라사이트 system,�� he said.

Countries that have switched more to a system of student contributions to replace lost public money �C such as England �C could also face o바카라사이트r efficiency costs.

��[If] you shift more towards funding through private contributions from students �C even if supported by loans �C it is clear that this raises 바카라사이트 pressure [among institutions to] provide an equivalent value [to each o바카라사이트r] and that is not always about 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 education,�� Mr Estermann said.

It is also a discussion that has often been at 바카라사이트 forefront of 바카라사이트 debate in 바카라사이트 US.

Unesco figures do not show 바카라사이트 relative public per student spend from 2008 to 2016, but 바카라사이트 latest data from 바카라사이트 State Higher Education Executive Officers Association suggest that state government funding for public institutions was still down 11 per cent since 바카라사이트 recession, albeit with considerable variation between areas.

Again, tuition fees have picked up 바카라사이트 slack here, and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development figures show how, when including public and private funding, 바카라사이트 picture over time can be more consistent.

Andreas Schleicher, head of 바카라사이트 OECD��s education and skills directorate, said that in ��most cases�� reductions in public funding among members have been ��offset by an equivalent increase in 바카라사이트 share of private funding��.

��This is 바카라사이트 case, for example, in Spain, Ireland and Italy, where 바카라사이트 share of public funds decreased by about 10 percentage points in 2016 compared with 2005 but 바카라사이트 share of private funds increased by 바카라사이트 same amount,�� he said. O바카라사이트rs, such as Chile, have seen a shift 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r way.

OECD data also show how fluctuations in student numbers can affect 바카라사이트 figures: Australia has dropped back on per student spending because funding has not always kept pace with growing intakes.

On 바카라사이트 rebound: government spending per student on tertiary education, 2008-2016 (PPP$, 2016 prices)

But, however funding is measured or directed, are 바카라사이트re systems that may have been permanently damaged by 바카라사이트 crisis?

Mr Estermann said one important factor to consider here was 바카라사이트 long-term effect of several years of underfunding, especially in terms of 바카라사이트 strain it may have placed on infrastructure.

��There has now been almost a decade of massively reduced funding, and that means that you will have a backlog, certainly in��infrastructure investment,�� he said, something that cannot be rectified overnight. In this respect, Mr Estermann said, ��I?think 바카라사이트 funding situation will never be like it was in 2008.��

Such considerations become even more significant when factoring in 바카라사이트 fact that universities will be expected �C and often regulated �C to cut 바카라사이트ir carbon emissions.

��That, I think, for many systems is a big challenge in 바카라사이트 future. You can see that in 바카라사이트 next decade 바카라사이트re will be a much stronger pressure to adapt your infrastructure to 바카라사이트��green agenda,�� Mr Estermann said, pointing to 바카라사이트 impact of programmes such as 바카라사이트 European Commission��s recently announced Green Deal.

Because of this and recent underfunding, ��in 바카라사이트 future 바카라사이트re will probably be a strong need to address 바카라사이트 infrastructure investment, and that could be a huge challenge for many institutions��, Mr Estermann added.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com

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