Evolution and perspectives of the regional market of applicants for tertiary education in South Bohemian Region

Abstract

The paper summarizes results of the questionnaire surveys among high schools’ students in the Southbohemian Region. These surveys were done in 2008, 2009 and 2011. The aim of this article was to discover attitudes of the students of two terminal years of high schools as well as the students of higher professional schools to the new situation of the services offered by the sphere of tertiary educations. The supply of schools (measured by available capacity to take on students) have recently exceeded over the demand of applicants for tertiary education. This is caused by an increase of the education capacity of universities on one hand and by the birth rate deflation affecting the number of graduates from high schools on the other hand. The number of latest graduates from high school is not adequate to the education capacity of universities where the income based on the education activity represents an important part of their revenues. Universities and their faculties in South Bohemia have abolished the traditional entrance exams and some of them accept even one hundred per cents of applicants. This situation resulted in the development of promotional campaign using all traditional promotional tools. Questionnaire surveys have focused on factors of the selection of a university and faculty to apply, the results of studying at the university, sources of information on existing universities and applicants’ expectations from their university studies. The three-year survey allows authors to generalize implications and conclusions for university managers when recruiting graduates. Applicants permanently prefer economic field of study; the main source for them when choosing is Internet and they expect particularly to find better employment and to reach higher remuneration.