Financing the Students’ Future - FinSt Ref. No LLP BE-ERASMUS-EMHE Rok Primožič and Brikena Xhomaqi, ESU FINST Consultations Seminar, , Livepool, UK

What is it all about? “FinST” is a comprehensive research exercise on the landscape of HE funding systems in Europe and their fitness for purpose, in combination with the effects of the student unions’ policies on funding.

Aims Increasing the knowledge of the effects of financing systems in Europe over students’ population; Enhancing the capacity for ESU members, national unions of students (NUS), with regard to active involvement in higher education funding reforms; Using the creative potential of NUS and together with the Research Team and the Advisory Board brainstorm on possible scenarios of developing funding mechanisms at the national level; Identifying students’ perspective in a more detail.

Target groups students’ representatives national associations of students policy makers actors in higher education (stakeholders) The project will be developed during a period of 24 months.

Project partners (Consortium) ESU (ESIB)- European Students’ Union EÜL – Eesti Üliõpilaskondade Liit ÖH-Die Österreichische HochschülerInnenschaft NUS UK- National Union of Students (UK) HIS- Hochsul-Informations-System GmbH

Deliverables Compendium Toolkit Wiki website Exchanges Launching Conference Consultation seminar European Training Management Meetings Research Team Meetings Advisory Board Meetings

The Consultations Seminar will gather student representatives, representatives of HEIs and academic staff as well as other stakeholders … …to discuss funding mechanisms for higher education at the national level

Research Compendium… FinSt Research Team

Aims Investigate the correlation between HE financing systems across Europe and the students’ standard of living and wellbeing, which is central to all stakeholders. To be used from: ▫Student representatives NUSes ▫Policy makers alike

Structure Overall mapping of existing funding typologies Hypothesis & Typologies analysis Research articles on 5 main aspects of financing the HE (Survey) Scenarios regarding the emerging funding mechanisms at the national level (survey + consultation seminar + analysis)

1. Mapping Themes selected ▫National HE funding systems ▫Public funding of students ▫Student income & expenditure ▫Impacts & outcomes Key sources: ▫OECD Education At a Glance 2010 ▫Eurostat/EUROSTUDENT: The Bologna Process and in Higher Education in Europe: key indicators on the social dimension and mobility. ▫EUROSTUDENT project data

2. Hypothesis National HE funding systems To obtain general overview of the main aspects of funding systems: ▫Structure of higher education system (number and division of HEIs) ▫Higher education expenditure (total expenditure on HE, sources of expenditure) ▫Cost-sharing (main sources of income for HE institutions) Hypothesis1: Most of the countries observed are using cost-sharing to cover increasing higher educational costs.

2. Hypothesis Public funding of students To describe different aspects of public support to students. Students’ private contributions to HEIs (fees) considered as a part of (negative) student support against grants and loans (positive): ▫Tuition and other fees ▫Grants (and bursaries) ▫Loans Hypothesis2: Higher education systems that have higher tuition fees also have higher public student support level.

2. Hypothesis Student income & expenditure To look at students’ private financial situation. Costs of being a student, main sources of income, relationship between students’ private contributions & public support received. ▫Student income: sources (public support, paid work, family support), levels, significance ▫Student expenditure: study related costs (fees, accommodation, transport, etc), levels, significance Hypothesis3: Higher education systems that have higher tuition fees also have higher public student support level.

2. Hypothesis Impacts & outcomes To see relationship between public investments in HE and responsibilities of widening access/increasing participation from EHEA govt’s. ▫General description of student body ▫Participation in higher education of different groups (including entry-rate, participation rate, drop-out rate) ▫Characteristics of students receiving public support ▫Student satisfaction Hypothesis4: In most countries observed, levels of public investment correlate between levels of participation.

3. Survey on NUSes perceptions Survey finalized and sent to ESU members Responses received from 35 NUSes (out of 45) Research article on students perceptions about the financing of higher education Workshop on Saturday

4. Research articles – 5 aspects 1.The process of mapping and it’s outcomes – potentially including in depth case studies and comparisons. 2.Participation – the social dimension of Higher Education and how funding effects this. 3.Perceptions of Students’ Unions of how Higher Education works 4.Commodification of Higher Education and the implication of increased private investment. 5.NUSes influence in financing policies

5. Funding Scenarios What if… How HE will look like in 10 years? Stakeholders perceptions on the future! Current Challenges of HE to be discussed during the seminar! Does it exist 1 ideal HE funding model? 1 or more funding scenarios to be developed after the Consultation Seminar!

Thank you for your attention!