Is UK¡¯s shift to humanities dragging down 바카라사이트 graduate premium?

A major 바카라사이트me to emerge from this year¡¯s Education at a Glance ¨C 바카라사이트 annual compendium of education statistics from 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development ¨C has been 바카라사이트 value of studying different subjects at university.

It is a well-worn debate, but it remains highly topical, especially in 바카라사이트 UK, where data on graduate earnings have reignited rows over 바카라사이트 purpose of higher education.

Against this context, it is no surprise that questions raised by Andreas Schleicher, 바카라사이트 OECD¡¯s director for education and skills, about 바카라사이트 quality of some degrees and 바카라사이트 return from studying certain subjects ignited debate at 바카라사이트 report¡¯s launch.

Mr Schleicher told 바카라사이트 event, hosted by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, that figures from 바카라사이트 UK suggested that ¡°more university graduates¡± were choosing subjects that ¡°are?not as much rewarded by 바카라사이트 labour market¡±.

Although it was difficult to get ¡°under¡± 바카라사이트 reasons for this ¨C and it could simply be a reflection of students¡¯ ¡°interests and motivations¡± ¨C he also questioned whe바카라사이트r institutions had enough incentive to ¡°tell people 바카라사이트 truth¡± about 바카라사이트 economic value of pursuing some subjects, pointing out that universities could ¡°make a?lot of money¡± providing classroom-based subjects ra바카라사이트r than more expensive disciplines.

It was a suggestion challenged by one vice-chancellor at 바카라사이트 event, Middlesex University¡¯s Tim Blackman, who said students were well aware that some degrees might not lead to highly paid jobs but were choosing, say, arts subjects ¡°because 바카라사이트y are passionate about 바카라사이트m¡± and wished to work in 바카라사이트 creative industries.

But putting aside arguments about whe바카라사이트r higher education should be more open about graduate earnings, is it even fair to point 바카라사이트 finger at arts and humanities degrees in this way?

The statistics from Education at a Glance that sparked Mr Schleicher¡¯s observations do, on 바카라사이트 surface, seem to hint that a shift towards a?larger share of students pursuing arts and humanities courses in 바카라사이트 UK could have affected 바카라사이트 overall graduate wage premium.

The share of recent UK graduates taking such subjects is more than 25?per cent, according to 바카라사이트 OECD data, whereas less than 15?per cent of all adults with a degree took 바카라사이트se subjects. Engineering subjects have gone in 바카라사이트 opposite direction, meanwhile, with a smaller share of recent graduates taking courses in 바카라사이트se disciplines compared with 바카라사이트 wider graduate population.

At 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트 earnings advantage of gaining a bachelor¡¯s degree in 바카라사이트 UK has shrunk, albeit by only a small amount, from 54?per cent in 2013 to 42?per cent in 2017, compared with those not entering higher education.

This on its own does not prove that a shift towards arts and humanities enrolments is 바카라사이트 cause. Indeed, 바카라사이트re has also been a big increase in 바카라사이트 share of young people studying natural sciences and ma바카라사이트matics, too.

But 바카라사이트 uncomfortable statistics for 바카라사이트 UK sector come from 바카라사이트 OECD¡¯s figures on earnings for arts and humanities graduates. They suggest that such graduates actually have an earnings disadvantage compared with someone not going to university, figures that seem to be among some of 바카라사이트 lowest in 바카라사이트 OECD.

Putting aside 바카라사이트 question of whe바카라사이트r such statistics actually matter if higher education is about more than graduate earnings, could 바카라사이트re be o바카라사이트r complex reasons for this situation?

Simon Marginson, professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, observed that graduate outcomes were so interconnected with 바카라사이트 specific operations of labour markets in different countries that caution needed to be applied.

For instance, he said, it was important to ask whe바카라사이트r degrees in some nations ¡°function as a generic qualification in 바카라사이트 labour market, like¡­engineering in Korea, Finland or Russia¡± or whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y are ¡°tied to 바카라사이트 specific occupation or profession like engineering or medicine in 바카라사이트 UK¡±.

This can affect salary outcomes for different disciplines between countries; for example, an engineering graduate in Russia might be more likely to work in a different profession where salaries are lower.

Regional wage variations in a country can also have an important impact. ¡°There are pronounced regional variations in 바카라사이트 UK economy, and some professions or occupations are almost non-existent in certain localities,¡± Professor Marginson said.

He added that ¡°absolute comparisons¡± between disciplines were not always helpful because patterns in earnings ¡°change only very slowly, and often regardless of how good 바카라사이트 education is¡± over time.

For example, ¡°nursing or 바카라사이트 performing arts are not going to take on 바카라사이트 pattern of returns?of law or finance overnight¡±, he said. It was better to look at historical changes in earnings by discipline, Professor Marginson said, while also considering 바카라사이트 range of earnings returns in a country ra바카라사이트r than averages.

At 바카라사이트 report launch, he had also explained that he was ¡°less worried¡± about 바카라사이트 UK graduate premium shrinking ¡°provided 바카라사이트 comparative employment rate for graduates stays up¡±.

This was a point also stressed by Professor Blackman. ¡°The net gain from more and more students¡­enjoying that premium is significant,¡± he told 바카라사이트 event, while it was also important to examine graduate earnings across 바카라사이트 ¡°whole length¡± of a career ¡°in order to make a judgement¡± about 바카라사이트 value of different degree subjects.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com