scholarly journals HIGHER EDUCATION IN BULGARIAN CONTEXT: PECULIARITIES AND CHALLENGES

SEEU Review ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-172
Author(s):  
Valentina Milenkova ◽  
Svetlana D. Hristova
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Labour Market ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Rating System ◽  
Market Demand ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Empirical Survey ◽  
Popular Language ◽  
The Government ◽  
Professional Fields

Abstract The objective of this article is to illustrate the issues and challenges which the higher education system in Bulgaria faces, with a particular accent on the phenomenon “education per kilogram”. The latter describes, in a popular language, the up-scaling of the university graduation, related to the mass proliferation of the higher education institutions (HEIs), the facilitated access to enrolment through paid tuitions, etc. The big quantity of HEIs in the country is in a mismatch with the low percentage of GDP which the government dedicates to education. The number of HEIs is also disproportionate against its population size - 54 HEIs in Bulgaria for population of 7.2 million. The research methodology includes a desktop study based on national statistical data and data from the governmentally-supported university rating system. An empirical survey, conducted among 250 tertiary education students enrolled in four Bulgarian universities, is a valuable contribution towards disclosing the pros and cons of the teaching practices in the tertiary education in the country. The first chapter describes at large the “education per kilogram” issue with regard to its possible origins, variations and consequences for the misbalance of labour market demand for certain qualifications and the universities supplies of qualified individuals. The second chapter reveals a comparative analysis by professional fields possible through the Ministry of Education and Science’s university rating system, i.e. students’ preferences for disciplines, universities and professions; the graduates’ professional fulfilment and how the income of the recent diploma-holders is a function of attending a particular HEI. The third chapter presents a sociological survey conducted among students in four Bulgarian universities which demonstrates learners’ attitudes towards various aspects of training, teaching methods and involvement in research assignments in the context of tertiary education. The main conclusion of the article is that the “universities per kilogram” trend brought about other corresponding characteristics, such as “students per kilogram”, “academic titles per kilogram”, etc. Hence, the large number of HEIs in Bulgaria has not led to improving the quality and efficiency of education, and yet does not respond adequately to the changing labour market demands for qualified professionals.

scholarly journals Particularities of the Recent Evolution of Higher Education in Romania. Analysis and Forecasts

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 87-104
Author(s):  
Mariana Bălan
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Labour Market ◽  
Education System ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Estimation Methods ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Student Achievements ◽  
Schooling Process

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this article is to present a brief analysis of the Romanian higher education system from the perspective of basic indicators, as well as the use of Markovian techniques for studying the evolution of the schooling process. Methodology: The descriptive statistical analysis was mainly used to visualize and synthesize the information extracted from the data on the Romanian higher education system. Markovian methods were used to study and predict the evolution of the schooling process. Findings: The rapid dynamics of the number of students in Romania in the last two decades has been accompanied by a series of structural changes, of which the most important are: a) constantly increasing the degree of feminisation of student achievements and b) increasing the relative importance of economic studies, legal studies and other social sciences, while reducing the relative importance of technical sciences and of medical-pharmaceutical studies within university specialties. Also, the distribution of the graduates’ specializations correlated to a very small extent with the requirements of economic and social activity. It can be said that the development of tertiary education in Romania was stimulated mainly by the action of factors of social and cultural nature and only at second level by the demand for qualified personnel generated by the productive apparatus. Value Added: This study highlights the current state of Romanian higher education. The fact that the evolution of tertiary education has been “explosive” over the past two decades makes some econometric methods, involving the use of stationary data or which have a high degree of complexity, more difficult to use. In this context, the use of Markovian modelling methods for studying and forecasting the evolution of the schooling process can contribute to improving access to and participation in higher education. Recommendations: In the current conjucture, when trying to increase the insertion of graduates into the labour market, it is natural for decision-makers to use various estimation methods and techniques that allow them to correlate university study programs with the needs of the labour market and at the same time provide them with scientific support for their prognosis.

scholarly journals Governance of Somali Tertiary Education Systems: A Case Study in Complexity

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 353-359
Author(s):  
Abdiqani Ahmed Farah
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Educational System ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
The State ◽  
Education Systems ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
New Graduates ◽  
Post Conflict ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Right

            Governance of Tertiary Education Systems (TES) in Somalia and how the system of coordination described by Clark (1983) which tries to introduce order of the three dominating forces of educational system: “the state, the market and oligarchy”, is examined in this paper. How comparatively Higher Education Systems (HES) is structured, or inadvertently coordinated, arranged and rearranged since the formal Higher Education (HE) has been introduced into Somali nation state will also be examined from a vantage point of whether this trend is in line with other nations’ conventional TES. In the first twenty years, the dynamic system of coordination, which according to Clark introduces order into the three dominating forces of the Somali educational system, could not have been possible, as only the state owned and bank-rolled all Higher Education Institutions (HEI) that existed at the time. Thus the “academic oligarchy and the market” took a secondary role. The incentive of job guarantees for the new graduates by the authority made difficult to estimate the ‘quality of the education’, which in turn, could have compromised their ability and efficiency in their professional contexts. In post-conflict Somalia, the higher education system has dramatically increased with over one hundred universities now open throughout the country with no or little regulations. This time round though, the other two educational forces, the market and oligarchy are playing pivotal roles while that of the government has disappeared. Over the years since the collapse of the state in 1991, the national government’s influence decreased ceding so much higher education space, to the five Federal Member States (FMSs). Thus, the situation fits with Clark’s dynamic model showing that it is a system capable of reflecting upon ongoing change within the overall socio-political situation. What seems to be developing in the Somali higher education context therefore, is a system in which each force is autonomous with no clear goals shared within the larger structure. As for tertiary education in general, complemented by the rapidly changing world of work, the consensus is 'Having the right qualifications, in the right subjects, from the right institutions' that will benefit all sectors of the economy. It is with that in mind that the disparity between the way in which HE is delivered and the world of work is also examined in this paper. If this important complementarity is not analyzed in the current situation of Somalia, it could pose huge problematic consequences for tertiary education in the country. It is the case that HEIs did not give deserved attention to job market demands as they hardly study that to better serve the needs of employers. collaborative initiatives between the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) and the private sector to support HE is being examined in the final part of this paper.

scholarly journals Creating World-Class Universities in Japan: Policy and Initiatives

2008 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 629-640 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Oba
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Education Reform ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
Higher Education Reform ◽  
Develop World ◽  
Funding Policy ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
World Class ◽  
The Government ◽  
World Class Universities

For a very long time the Japanese government concentrated its higher education investment on a handful of national institutions, until the policy came to be called into question in the late 1980s in the face of globalisation and other factors. Higher education reform was significantly accelerated in the 1990s: the government has continuously deregulated the higher education system including the incorporation of national universities, and has brought more and more competition through diverse competitive funding schemes. Some policies – not only higher education policies but also science and technology ones – were explicitly designed to develop ‘world-class’ education and research centres, such as the 21st COE programme. This article suggests that although a funding policy based on competition, with a strict evaluation, seems to be a move in the right direction, a right balance of budget allocation between competitive funds and basic education-research funds should be sought. Furthermore, the programmes of the government have to be offered in a more consistent manner, and more concerted and integrated efforts will be required, to address the critical problem of building world-class universities.

scholarly journals Appearance and Development of Short-Term Higher Education Vocational Training in Hungary

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-76
Author(s):  
Barbara Máté-Szabó ◽  
Dorina Anna Tóth
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Political Orientation ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Short Cycle ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Political Role ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Government ◽  
International Comparative

Abstract Introduction: This article examines the first level of the European higher education system, namely the short-cycle higher education trainings related to the ISCED 5 whose Hungarian characteristics, and its historical changes were described. Methods: We examined participation rates among OECD countries. As there are large differences in the short-cycle higher education trainings in Europe, we have relied on data that makes the different systems comparable. Results and discussion: The interpretation, definition and practical orientation of the trainings varies from country to country, we presented the Hungarian form in connection with the results of international comparative studies and data. To understand the role of trainings, it is essential to get to know their history, especially because short-term higher educational trainings were transformed in several European countries. Conclusions: Prioritising or effacing the social-political role of short-cycle higher education trainings depending on the political orientation of the government and as a part of this, prioritising the disadvantaged regions instead of the disadvantaged students.

scholarly journals The Thorny Excellence Initiative in India

2018 ◽  
pp. 24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip G. Altbach ◽  
Rahul Choudaha
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Education System ◽  
Research University ◽  
High Impact ◽  
University Rankings ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Excellence Initiative ◽  
Impact Research ◽  
World Class ◽  
The Government

India enrolls 35 million students in its large and complex higher education system. In its ambition to enter world-class university rankings, the government has identified six “Institutions of Eminence.” The case of the “greenfield” Jio Institute exemplifies the thorny policy landscape and expectations of building a high-impact research university.

Angolan Higher Education, Policy, and Leadership

2020 ◽  
pp. 580-604
Author(s):  
Nicolau Nkiawete Manuel
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Education Policy ◽  
Higher Education Policy ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Transformative Leadership ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Higher Education Access ◽  
Education Access ◽  
Leadership For Social Justice ◽  
The Government

Since the end of the armed conflict in 2002, Angola has witnessed rapid socio-economic development characterized by the stabilization of macro-economic indicators. In this context, the government has been implementing important structural and economic reforms, including in the area of education. The purpose of this chapter is to reflect on these developments and the implication they might have on development of sustainable higher education, access, quality education, equity, leadership, and education policy. The chapter provides a brief comparative analysis of tertiary education funding among the countries of Southern Development Community (SADC) and other African countries in order to draw the attention of the decision makers about the relevance to invest more on education and protect the investments that the state has been making in education. In addition, the chapter calls for transformative leadership for social justice and change in organizational culture as an alternative avenue for enforcing current policies.

scholarly journals Economic Growth and Higher Education in South Asian Countries: Evidence from Econometrics

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 118
Author(s):  
Nilofer Hussaini
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Economic Growth ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
The South ◽  
Long Run ◽  
The Government ◽  
Enrolment Ratio ◽  
Relationship Of

South Asian economies has witnessed very slow growth over the years and the gap has widened manifold between other nations of Asia particularly East Asian nations and South Asian nations. This paper examines co-integration between the economic growth and reach of higher education in South Asian nations explaining this disparity. The research employed an econometric panel co-integration investigation to analyse the long run relationship of higher education and economic growth among these nations. The research confirmed positive long run causality between the economic growth of the South Asian nations and gross enrolment ratio of higher education. So, if the South Asian nations continue with their existing pattern of paying less attention to higher education by allocating low share of investment on it, poor human capital formation would result in growing further economic disparity between developed and South Asian nations where rich nations would remain richer and poor nations would remain poor with the gap remaining unabridged. This research will serve as an aid to policy makers, educators and financers of South Asian nations to bridge the gap between high- and low-income nations. The focus on the quantum of spending on higher education by the government will help improve the reach of tertiary education and build economic prosperity in these nations.

scholarly journals The Importance of Polytechnics for Africa's Development

2017 ◽  
pp. 30-31
Author(s):  
Goolam Mohamedbhai
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Education System ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
British Colonies

Most African countries that were former British colonies replicated the British higher education system and created both universities and polytechnics. However, in order to increase their tertiary education enrolment, these countries are gradually upgrading their polytechnics to universities. This article argues that this is a wrong move as polytechnics are as important as universities for Africa’s development, and calls for a re-consideration of the polytechnics conversion policy. 

scholarly journals ‘One Size Fits All’ – A Default Policy that is Serving No One Well

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (S1) ◽  
pp. S28-S43
Author(s):  
Alison Wolf
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Labour Market ◽  
Social Mobility ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Supply Side ◽  
Educational Expansion ◽  
Dominant Model ◽  
Academic Education ◽  
Zero Sum

This article will analyse the rather uniform ways in which developed countries, and notably those of Europe, have moved from systems in which tiny numbers of young people attended university to systems of mass and still expanding higher education. Although there are some surface differences between countries in organisation and levels of participation, these have actually decreased in recent decades, and convergence is continuing. This convergence reflects a general move towards a dominant model of tertiary education which gives priority and prestige to academic certification. The economic and policy drivers have been very similar. In the first instance, a changing labour market and growing middle class expanded demand for tertiary provision. Governments then became convinced that expanding higher education was an effective supply-side policy to promote growth and productivity, and an effective way to promote social mobility and equality; and so educational expansion and spending were privileged. However, in recent years, there has been a growing mismatch between the labour market and tertiary provision, which it is very hard to correct, partly because of politicians’ beliefs but also because the ‘signalling’ function of academic education has become paramount, and families quite rationally pursue high-prestige (but zero-sum) options for their children. Although there may be some degree of self-correction in the system, this is by no means assured and governments need to consider, actively, how to promote attractive alternatives to university study.

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