Student’s Cultural Experience in Higher Education in England, Germany and Lithuania as a Preco

Abstract

Higher education today faces intensive transformation processes more than ever before. The Bologna Process program has been a big boost for student self-identification as a particular academic member of the community. It is reasonable to assert that young people studying in higher education institutions should be the most active in the changes affecting the higher education system, responding to the general public. The real situation is different, and the lack of student response raises the question of student identity and self-identification as specific members of higher education communities. This leads to the discussion whether in the case of uncontrolled dispersal of higher education one of the negative consequences can be seen as the weakening of students’ academic identity. This determines the problem formulated by the article – the significance of the surrounding socio-cultural environment and the public discourse on the formation of students’ academic identity in different countries (England, Germany and Lithuania). In order to understand behavioural patterns of students in Lithuania the comparative analysis, based on the methodological approach of R. Budd was made. Data of 14 interviews from Lithuanian classical and specialized universities were analysed and statements were made, when summarized giving the overall thinking concept of Lithuanian students that emerged as a result of interaction between particular, specific to Lithuanian social discourse to high education and inner cultural and behavioural models.