Transformation of the Higher Education Services Market: Comparative Analysis by OECD Countries

Abstract

AbstractThe research hypothesis consists in the scientific assumption that in modern conditions there is a transformation of the market of higher education services in terms of increasing openness, globality and expanding online accessibility due to the raised dynamics of society and technology development, as well as under the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The research is aimed at conducting a comparative analysis of the higher education services market in the OECD countries, as well as identifying its transformational trends and determining the directions of state educational policy that contribute to adaptation to new requirements. The authors identified transformational trends in the market of higher education: an increase in the educational level of the population and the demand for higher education services; increased dynamics of the development of society and technology, requiring regular updates and additions to basic higher education; expansion of requirements for educational services in terms of content, volume, forms and methods of obtaining knowledge following changing needs of society. It is determined that during the pandemic, the higher education system of the OECD countries faced challenges related to the organization of remote online exams; unequal technological equipment of participants in the learning process; risks of technical failure; lack of effective forms of e-learning for the training of specialists of a narrow profile. The state policy measures proposed by the authors can be used to overcome the difficulties of the transformational and pandemic period in the higher education of the OECD countries.KeywordsHigher educationEducational services marketOECDTransformationDigitalizationKnowledge societyPandemicJEL ClassificationI21I23I25