Investment In Higher Education Research Articles

College Choice, Private Options, and the Incidence of Public Investment in Higher Education

College Choice, Private Options, and the Incidence of Public Investment in Higher Education

How does entrepreneurship education affect employability? Insights from UK higher education

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the underexplored link between entrepreneurship education (EE) and graduate employability in the higher education (HE) sector in the United Kingdom (UK).Design/methodology/approachThe study draws on a thematic content analysis of semi-structured interviews with 45 professionals in UK HE, representing the “supply” side of EE.FindingsThe findings demonstrate a unidirectional link between EE and employability outcomes. This link is affected by societal, stakeholder-related, and teaching and learning-related factors.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the value of universities’ initiatives connecting EE and employability for economic development is emphasized, the study does not provide direct empirical evidence for this effect. Macroeconomic research is needed.Practical implicationsEE and employability would benefit from knowledge exchange between universities’ stakeholders and a broader understanding of what constitutes a valuable graduate outcome.Social implicationsThe study reveals the benefits of EE on a micro level. Participation in EE supports the connection between individual investments in HE and employability.Originality/valueBased on human capital theory, many policymakers regard EE as a vehicle through which the relationship between investments in HE and career success on a micro level and economic growth on a macro level can be nurtured. Challenging this logic, the study highlights the potential of institutional theory to explain a contextualization of the link between EE and employability on a national level.

The Impact of Urban Public Services on the Residence Intentions of Migrant Entrepreneurs in the Western Region of China

Balanced regional development affects high-quality and sustainable development. Previous studies have shown that regional talent allocation, technology business incubators, industrial ecology, cross-regional cooperation, and balanced investment in higher education have positive effects on sustained regional development. Therefore, discussing more influencing factors that promote regionally balanced development is necessary. As far as China is concerned, with the spread of the migrant population to the central and western regions, it is of certain significance to explore the factors affecting the development of the western region from the perspective of migrant entrepreneurs’ flow. Urban public services, as an important way for the government to attract talent, directly affect the residence intentions of migrant entrepreneurs in the future. This paper uses the matching data of the 2017 China Migrants Dynamic Survey and 289 prefecture-level city data from the China City Statistical Yearbook to study the impact of urban public services in the western region on the residence intention of migrant entrepreneurs and further examines the heterogeneous impact of urban public services in the western region on the residence intention of migrant entrepreneurs. We find that urban public services in the western region significantly affect the residence intention of migrant entrepreneurs; that is, the higher the level of urban public services, the stronger the residence intention of migrant entrepreneurs. According to the heterogeneity analysis of household registration differences, generational differences, family structure differences, employment identity differences, and industry and flow range differences, this paper finds that public services have a positive impact on the residence intention of non-urban migrant entrepreneurs, the older generation of migrant entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs with small family structures, migrant entrepreneurs in low-tech industries, self-employed entrepreneurs, cross-province migration, and intra-province migrant entrepreneurs. Further analysis indicates that the level of education, culture, medical care, and transportation services in cities significantly enhances the permanent residence intentions of migrant entrepreneurs. The research conclusion not only provides reference and inspiration for China to achieve common prosperity through entrepreneurship and poverty reduction practices, but it can also, to some extent, alleviate population aggregation in large cities and promote the formation of a scientific and reasonable urbanization pattern. In addition, this paper explores the attractiveness of public services to migrant entrepreneurs in the western region of China from the perspective of entrepreneurs’ mobility and complements the relevant research on promoting regional balanced development.

Construction and Implementation of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education System in Higher Vocational Colleges in the New Era Based on VAR Modeling

Abstract This study is dedicated to exploring the construction and implementation of innovation and entrepreneurship education system in higher vocational colleges. By analyzing the relationship between education investment and industrial employment, it further enhances the innovation and entrepreneurship ability of students in higher vocational colleges. It promotes the synergistic development of education and economy. First, the relationship between higher education investment and industrial employment is analyzed by VAR model, which reveals the influence of education on the structural adjustment of industrial jobs. Second, the evaluation indexes and quality clustering of innovation and entrepreneurship education are refined through fuzzy cluster analysis and K-means clustering method based on seagull optimization algorithm. The research results show that the improved innovation and entrepreneurship education system can significantly improve students’ innovation and entrepreneurship satisfaction and self-evaluation, in which the indicators of entrepreneurial spirit and psychological quality are considerably enhanced. In addition, students’ innovation and entrepreneurship ability showed significant differences in multiple dimensions. This study confirms the effectiveness of the construction of innovation and entrepreneurship education system in higher vocational colleges, which is substantial in improving students’ innovation and entrepreneurship ability.

Research on the Practice and Development of Teaching Evaluation in Private Colleges and Universities: Taking Xi’an Mingde Institute of Technology as an Example

With the government’s strong support and investment in higher education, private colleges and universities have become an important part of higher education. Teaching evaluation is an important means of monitoring the quality of teaching in colleges and universities and a crucial way to improve teaching quality. This article takes Xi’an Mingde Institute of Technology as an example to explore the practice and development of teaching evaluation in private colleges and universities.

Gender bias in university student mobility: a cohort analysis in Italy

PurposeThis paper aims to assess gender bias in Italian university student mobility controlling for the field of study. It uses data from the Italian National Student Archive (Anagrafe Nazionale degli Studenti – ANS) for the cohort of freshmen enrolled in the 2017 academic year. The macro-regional comparison unfolds across the following areas: North and Centre, Southern Italy and main Islands (Sicily and Sardinia).Design/methodology/approachThe analysis is firstly carried out at the national level, and secondly, it focusses on macro-geographical areas. University mobility choices are thus investigated from a gender perspective, conditioning upon other theoretically relevant characteristics collected for the prospective first-year university student population enrolled in 2017. The authors analyse data in a regression setting (logit models) within the multilevel framework, which considers students at level 1 and the field of study at level 2. Gender differences in the propensity to be a mover – conditional upon the choice of the field of study – were captured by introducing random intercepts to account for clustering of students in fields of study and random slopes to allow the gender effect to differ among them.FindingsFindings show that university student mobility in Italy leads evidence of gender bias. This has been detected using a multilevel random slope approach that allowed the authors to jointly estimate a slope parameter for gender within each field of study. Moreover, using a regression setting allowed the authors to control for heterogeneity in geographical, educational and socio-demographic characteristics across students. In line with previous empirical findings, the authors' data highlight the presence of a relevant mobility flow of university students from the South toward the North-Centre of Italy and lower mobility of female students compared to male students from the South and Islands.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, there are no studies in Italy, which investigate if families' investment in higher education in terms of selection of no-local universities are affected by gender bias and if geographical differences in this behaviour between macro-areas are in place. Thus, investigating students' choices in tertiary education allows the authors to shed light on the presence of gender bias in families' education strategies addressed to increase the endowment of students' assets for future job opportunities.

Investment in Development of Higher Education Facilities from Central Budget - A Case Study of Vietnam

In all periods, the State always plays an important and leading role in investing in educational development with different plans and levels. Investment in higher education is often considered in some fields, such as investment in facilities, investment in improving teaching quality, investment in scientific research activities, practice and access to jobs, for improving working skills... This article aims to focus on researching investment from the central budget for the development of higher education facilities in Vietnam. The research results contribute to suggesting to state managers a number of solutions in planning investment capital as well as effectively managing and organizing budget investment capital for not only higher education but also in many other investment fields.

Grads on the go: Measuring college‐specific labor markets for graduates

AbstractThis paper introduces a new measure of the labor markets served by colleges and universities across the United States. About 50% of recent college graduates are living and working in the metro area nearest the institution they attended, with this figure climbing to 67% in‐state. The geographic dispersion of alumni is more than twice as great for highly selective 4‐year institutions as for 2‐year institutions. However, more than one quarter of 2‐year institutions disperse alumni more diversely than the average public 4‐year institution. In one application of these data, we find that the average strength of the labor market to which a college sends its graduates predicts college‐specific intergenerational economic mobility. In a second application, we quantify the extent of “brain drain” across areas and illustrate the importance of considering migration patterns of college graduates when estimating the social return on public investment in higher education.

The Effect of Changes in the Skill Premium on College Degree Attainment and the Choice of Major

We study the impact of financial incentives on higher education decisions and the choice of major. We rely on a reform whereby Israeli kibbutzim shifted from their traditional policy of equal sharing to productivity-based wages. We use for identification the staggered implementation of this reform in different kibbutzim. In this setting of very low initial returns to education, we find that the dramatic increase in the rate of return and its sharp variation across fields of study led to a large increase in the probability of receiving a Bachelor degree, especially in STEM fields of study that are expected to yield higher financial returns. For men this increase was largely in computer science and engineering, and for women in biology, chemistry and computer science. Our findings suggest that investment in higher education and the choice of major are responsive to increases in the return to education for both men and women. Institutional subscribers to the NBER working paper series, and residents of developing countries may download this paper without additional charge at www.nber.org.

Norwegian higher education futures

AbstractThe paper deals with the future of Norwegian higher education as part of a Nordic project on higher education futures. To identify future scenarios for Norwegian higher education (HE), the paper uses the theoretical lens of historical institutionalism to focus on scenario building. Like in the other Nordic countries, Norwegian HE and research are characterized by easily accessible and free public HE provision, high participation rates, and a high level of investment in HE and research. However, the question is this: If we look back at the development of Norwegian HE the last decades, to what extent can we expect present developments to persist and to what extent can we expect more or less sharp breaks and deviations from past and present developments? Departing from an institutionalist position, two historically grounded visions and related scenarios are identified: an academic excellence scenario and a national service scenario. The scenarios reflect tensions between different visions of the shape, emphasis, and orientation of HE and research. The empirical focus is on the developments of HE along five dimensions: growth, systemic integration, academic drift, labor market relevance, and governance. First, the conceptual approach is presented, outlining the use of scenarios and an institutionalist approach to thinking about the future of HE. Secondly, the paper outlines the five trends regarding past and ongoing developments. Third, some ideas about future developments are outlined, before the conclusion is drawn.

Skills mismatches in Cambodian higher education: Major causes and possible solutions

Higher education in Cambodia has made noteworthy strides in recent years. However, as the country experiences rapidly evolving economic needs and technological advancements, the mismatch between the skills graduates possess and those demanded by the job market remains a focal point of discussion. This article aims to discuss the issue of skills mismatches in higher education in Cambodia. It provides an understanding of skills mismatches in Cambodian higher education and delves into the major causes of this pressing issue, including limited public investment in higher education, limited involvement of concerned stakeholders, limited use of up-to-date curricula and teaching methods, limited English proficiency, lack of career guidance for students, and a low level of research engagement among Cambodian academics. The article offers solutions to address this pressing issue by emphasizing potential measures, such as providing sufficient orientation to students on the selection of majors in higher education, enhancing government-university-industry linkages, establishing a clear roadmap for improving higher education quality, modernizing curricula and teaching methods, encouraging learner autonomy and a culture of lifelong learning, promoting diversity and inclusion in higher education, enhancing the circulation of information about the job market and industrial needs, and improving the quality and research capacity of faculty members. The article argues that addressing skills mismatches in Cambodian higher education requires a genuine reform and concerted efforts from all concerned stakeholders. It concludes with suggestions for future research.

Economic Benefits and Challenges: Funding Tertiary Education for Economic Development in Greece

It is often proposed that governments should devote resources toward tertiary education to the point where marginal social costs equal marginal social value. A critical challenge in evaluating the viability of financing higher education correlates with the difficulty of connecting educational inputs with output. The argument for investment in tertiary erudition hinges on technological advances and demographic change, whereby individuals require periodic retraining within the information age, and increasing labor productivity could reduce the effects of an aging population. The aim of the present work was to view the current system of funding tertiary education in Greece and review some evidence on the economic benefits of funding tertiary education in this Country. In spite of funding obstacles, empirical evidence indicates that graduates improve economic output and social cohesion. Prioritize funding policies for equitable access, and investigate optimal levels of taxpayer subsidy in future research. While allocative problems permeate the higher education sector within different countries, observational and empirical evidence illustrate that graduates improve economic productivity and increase the tax revenues. Overall, funding tertiary education promotes economic development in the global knowledge economy that is undergoing evolution. In addition to having direct effects on the quality of human capital, funding for postsecondary education also has indirect effects on research infrastructure, innovation and economic growth. Investments in higher education and research and development are essential for fostering economic growth, technological progress, and competitiveness.

ТЕНДЕНЦІЇ ТА ОСНОВНІ ШЛЯХИ ОНОВЛЕННЯ ЄВРОПЕЙСЬКОЇ ОСВІТИ

In the modern socio-economic context of the development of educational systems, the processes of globalization and internationalization play an important role, which determine the reformation of higher education. Competition and cooperation between educational and scientific organizations are intensifying all over the world, the exchange of students, teachers, graduate students and researchers is intensifying, distance education is becoming widespread, and the role of continuing education is growing. The purpose of the research is to identify and justify system-wide trends in the renewal of European education. The main task of this research is to determine the mechanisms and characterize the orientation of the renewal of the European education system under the conditions of internationalization and globalization. The methodological basis of the research consists of: the general scientific principle of objectivity; the principle of historical and logical unity; systemic and contextual approach, principle of interconnection; sociological, cultural and pedagogical concepts. It is determined that today the European Union is one of the world leaders in research and innovation. It is scientific knowledge, experience, high standards of the research, developed research infrastructure that guarantee many years of successful cooperation between the EU and other countries. At the present stage, investments in higher education and vocational training are considered as the most important factor in enhancing the EU’s competitiveness and ensuring the constant growth of its economy. The development of higher education is perceived as the most important prerequisite for achieving the economic, social and environmental goals set in 2000 in Lisbon. Higher education is the core of the new European society, based on the knowledge. The article considers the direction of transformations carried out in the higher education systems of the European Union countries in the context of the internationalization of education. The strategic goal of reforming the European education system is to increase its competitiveness in the international space and modernize economies. In the political and public circles of the European Union, the opinion has been established that since human resources are the most important wealth of the EU, education policy should be the main factor in the processes of knowledge creation and transfer, which, in turn, crucially determine the innovative potential of the society. In this regard, the main goal is to provide equal and open opportunities for people of all ages to receive high-quality education and to gain diverse educational experiences throughout Europe. Education systems are a key link in the implementation of this concept. This paper traces the dynamics of the external dimension in the political and socioeconomic contexts. The Maastricht Treaty of 1992 established the basis for the EU cooperation within higher education. It stipulated the commitment of the member countries to develop education cooperation with third countries and international organizations. The European Commission has called on EU member states to take the necessary measures to reform their education and training systems so that barriers between formal and non-formal learning disappear. To implement this concept, it is necessary to achieve a higher level of interaction between the main participants in this relatively new area: business, social partners and educational institutions.

University professor in a situation of total uncertainty

The article is devoted to the understanding of transformation of the profession and mission of a university professor in a rapidly changing world. The crisis of the theory of human capital, the return on investment in higher education is increasingly challenged, which leads to the transformation of the university. The career trajectory of a professor has been formed for decades, requires large intellectual, social and labor investments, while the institute of higher education is in a state of constant reform. The university as an institution comes into conflict with the world of uncertainty. Instability runs counter to a long-term commitment to an academic career. The educational process is conservative in nature and is associated with the development of a complex socio-cultural environment. This requires the stability of institutions, and the context is exactly the opposite. Uncertainty is generated by a huge range of forms of agency, among which proprietary agents, such as artificial intelligence, will compete with the professor in the labor market. The article raises questions about the discrepancy between the university and the market of professions, the university and the competencies of graduates, the impact of entrepreneurship and digitalization on the profession, the refraction of the conflict between investment logic and the logic of culture in academic communities. Comparative analysis of statistical data and the situation in advanced countries and Russia shows that this process is universal. Consideration of the professor as a profession determines the possible ways of managing and leveling uncertainty. Liquid modernity makes the profession of a university professor out of proportion to the situation, at most, or radically transforms it, at least in professional, social, and ethical changes.

Language Learning Investment in Higher Education: Validation and Implementation of a Likert-Scale Questionnaire in the Context of Compulsory EFL Learning

Second language learning investment relates to the willingness and effort of learners to develop language competencies which will give them a good return in terms of personal or professional benefits. Research has often explored learning investment through learners in the target language context or language teachers. This study, however, explores learning investment with undergraduate learners who are obligated to learn English as a foreign language, regardless of their future profession. To this end, a Likert-scale questionnaire was first designed to examine four investment dimensions which have been identified in previous qualitative research: motivation, necessity, engagement and agency. For validity and reliability purposes, the questionnaire was administered to six second language research professors and 41 students who completed three compulsory English courses in a BA in Inclusive Education. Content, construct and convergent validity procedures were implemented to test the investment dimensions. Regarding reliability, equivalent forms were used to check the stability of answers and to avoid primacy and fatigue effects. In addition, internal consistency and inter-item correlations were checked through Cronbach Alpha coefficients. After the validity and reliability procedures, the four dimensions of learning investment were explored among the language learners. The statistical analyses revealed favorable motivation and engagement results. Nonetheless, they raised some concerns regarding necessity and agency.

Public-private partnership as a mechanism of education management in the structure of the social and investment model of economic growth

The goal of this research was to find the influence of each mechanism of financial management of education—in the structure of the social and investment model of economic growth—on the results in the sphere of its development: quality, quantitative accessibility, and development of digital skills with students. The study’s methodological approach involved the economic and mathematical modelling of (with the help of regression analysis) of the contribution of alternative investment mechanisms to the development of digital skills of the economically active population. We compared the contribution of isolated public and private investments to public-private partnership and proved its preference. We determined the place of the mechanism of education management based on public-private partnership in the structure of the social and investment model of economic growth. It was determined that the only manifestation of higher education’s development, which largely depends on financial support, is digital skills among the active population. The connection between digital skills among the active population and investments in higher education by the terms of public-private partnership is clear (regression—0.47 points). An increase in the share of public-private partnership in the structure of financing of the development of higher education by up to 90% allows increasing digital skills among the active population from 61.49 points to 94.54 points—i.e., by 53.75%. Therefore, practical implementation of the social and investment model of economic growth should envisage financing of the development of higher education based on the mechanism of public-private partnership. It was proved that public-private partnership is a perspective mechanism of education management, which has an important role in the structure of the social and investment model of economic growth.

Economic analysis of factors associated with education and employment

The purpose of the research is to determine and analyze the current situation in the Georgian economy, labor market requirements, existing workforce structure, main challenges and trends. Important studies were conducted, within the framework of which market requirements were analyzed, consultations were held with experts in the field, employers, representatives of the Center for the Development of the Quality of Education; The present situation of supply and demand in the educational market is studied and analyzed. Qualitative and quantitative studies were also conducted, within the framework of which the following were identified: the compatibility of higher education programs with the market requirements, the inclusion of practical components in the educational process, the relationship between higher educational institutions and students, and the processes of interaction between education and the labor market. We think that the promotion of professional education will definitely lead us to the desired results, both from the point of view of the economy of Georgia and the general situation in the country. There is simply a need for more involvement from the state and, accordingly, more properly conducted measures, raising the level of awareness in society and creating all the prerequisites in order to change the attitude towards vocational schools as positively as possible. All this will eventually become a contributing factor for improving the level of education or the economic situation. The study concludes with findings and suggestions, which cover the issues facing the Georgian labor market and the labor force demand vision. The examination of the influence of higher education on employment and income in Georgia demonstrates that the investment in higher education yields a discernible return at this point, but the human capital developed in the higher education system is still not being employed efficiently in the country.

Higher Education, Technological Innovation, and Green Development—Analysis Based on China’s Provincial Panel Data

Higher Education and technological innovations have so far proved to be key factors of regional green development as they have been seen to contribute greatly to economic growth and environmental protection. On the other hand, higher education positively supports technological innovation by offering knowledge production and transformation. The majority of the studies being conducted around this have focused more on promoting regional green development by backing the importance of technological innovation and the reinforcement of talent reserve in higher education. However, very few studies have been dedicated to pointing out specific ways in which higher education influences regional green development. In this study, based on provincial panel data for 2003–2020 in China, both the direct and in-between effect of higher education on green development was evaluated using the mediation effect model. Then a panel threshold model was created to explore the regional differences in this effect in China. Key results show that higher education significantly promotes regional green development, and technological innovation plays an in-between role in the above-mentioned influence relationships; there is significant diversity among regions with different developing levels of technological innovation, and the positive impact of higher education on green development in educationally developed provinces gradually decreases, while this positive impact in educationally developing provinces keeps rising. Specific policy recommendations to promote regional green development for higher education mainly include further balancing investment in higher education, coordinating the development of higher education and technological innovation, and strengthening the flow of resources among provinces.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INCOME GENERATING ACTIVITIES AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF PUBLIC UNIVERISTIES IN KENYA

The proposed study was to explore the relationship between income generating Activities and financial performance of public universities in Kenya. Higher education in Kenya has been recognized as a critical tool in transforming the society. The Government spends a lot of funds on education in relation to the national budget. However, despite the continued increase in government investment in higher education; resources are never adequate to match the everincreasing enrolment rates. In connection to this, several public Universities have mobilized their scarce resources to establish IGAs in order to supplement the government expenditure on education. Specific objective of this study was to examine the contribution of academic based IGAs, roles of service Based IGAs, and how production based IGAs influence the financial performance of public Universities in Kenya. A broad study was done with regards to the various theories that explain the relationship that really exist between income generating activities and their financial performance, where the resource dependency theory is seen as a conceptual tool where it argues that no organization is completely self-contained, agency theory on the other hand was also considered as an important tool since it shows, the relationship that exist between two parties, where one party is been referred as principal and the other one agent. It was observed that, most of the IGAs conducted in public Universities in Kenya include Academic Based IGAs: well known of these programs are module II programs, service Based IGAs dealing with services like restaurants, cyber cafes, production Based IGAs was also put in place in this study, also as source of income to the Universities. A descriptive approach in this project was used to explain the relationship between the variables of the study as shown in the conceptual framework, where questionnaires were used to analyze whether their existed a relationship between IGAs and Financial performance in Public Universities.

Підвищення якості вищої освіти як основний напрям стратегічного розвитку закладів вищої освіти

Higher education in today’s economy plays an important and integral role in all aspects of social development. Its importance lies in the formation of highly qualified personnel, the development of innovations, the support of scientific research and the increase of the country’s competitiveness. Higher education provides an opportunity for students to acquire specialized knowledge and skills that they can be used in economics. Qualified graduates contribute to increased labor productivity and the creation of innovative products and services, which fosters economic growth. In addition, universities are important centers of scientific research that produce new knowledge and technologies that affect the development of the economy. They contribute to the commercialization of innovation and the creation of startups. Overall, higher education is a key to creating a knowledge-based economy that is becoming dominant in the modern era. Therefore, investment in higher education should be considered as a strategic step for sustainable economic development and improving the quality of life of citizens. Improving the quality of higher education is a necessary and urgent task in the modern world for a number of key reasons. High-quality higher education forms a highly skilled workforce that meets the needs of the labor market. Changes in the economy and technology require new skills and knowledge, and only higher education can ensure their acquisition. Higher education stimulates research and innovation, which supports a country’s economic development and competitiveness in a global context. Higher education also contributes to the development of critical thinking, creativity and civic engagement, being important aspects of the formation of civil society and democratic governance. Quality education increases the level of social equality by providing equal educational opportunities for different social groups. All these aspects verify the importance and necessity of improving the quality of higher education as a pivotal factor for the development of society, increasing the efficiency of the economy and preparing citizens for the challenges of the modern world. Improving the quality of higher education is important for ensuring competitiveness, developing innovations, supporting research and preparing citizens for global challenges, ensuring the sustainability of society’s development.