The crowd in mind and crowded minds: an experimental investigation of crowding effects on students’ views regarding tuition fees in Germany

In higher education, just amounts of tuition fees are often a topic of heated debate among different groups such as students, university teachers, administrative staff, and policymakers. We investigated whether unpleasant situations that students often experience at university due to social crowding can affect students’ views on the justified amount of tuition fees at universities. We report two experiments on whether conditions that lead to experienced crowding in higher education can affect how students cognitively deal with a given topic. Experiment 1 (N = 80) showed that the mere cognitive activation of crowdedness in text stories about situations related to student activities influenced prospective students’ estimates of what are justified university tuition fees. In Experiment 2 (N = 72), student participants wrote an essay on tuition fees in a small versus large room in groups of three versus six persons. Here, results showed that students together with relatively many others in a small room estimated higher tuition fees to be justified than participants in all other experimental conditions. We discuss the implications of the present findings for the configuration of classes in higher education.     

The effects of tuition fees on transition from high school to university in Germany

This paper studies whether the introduction of tuition fees at public universities in some German states had a negative effect on enrollment, i.e., on the transition of high school graduates to public universities in Germany. In contrast to recent studies, we do not find a significant effect on aggregate enrollment rates. Our study differs from previous studies in three important ways. First, we take full account of the fact that tuition fees were both introduced and abolished in the German states at different points in time. Second, we consider control variables, which are absent in previous studies but turn out to have a significant impact on the evolution of enrollment rates. Third, we allow for state-specific effects of tuition fees on enrollment rates. We conclude that there is no evidence for a general negative effect of the recent introduction of tuition fees on enrollment in Germany.     

Do tuition fees affect the mobility of university applicants? Evidence from a natural experiment

Several German states recently introduced tuition fees for university education. We investigate whether these tuition fees influence the mobility of university applicants. Based on administrative data of applicants for medical schools in Germany, we estimate the effect of tuition fees on the probability of applying for a university in the home state. We find a small but significant reaction: The probability of applying for a university in the home state falls by 2 percentage points (baseline: 69%) for high-school graduates who come from a state with tuition fees. Moreover, we find that students with better high-school grades react more strongly to tuition fees. This might have important effects on the composition of students across states.     

美国公立高校高等教育成本分担解析

美国著名教育家和财政专家约翰斯通教授于20世纪80年代提出了著名的高等教育成本分担理论,认为高等教育的成本应由政府、学生及家长、高校和社会捐赠者来分担。近30年来,美国公立高校政府分担的高等教育成本持续下降,学生及家长分担的成本不断上升,这与世界各国高等教育发展规律是一致的。此外,高校与社会捐赠所占美国公立高校教育经费总投入的比重稳中有升,这是世界上多数发展中国家特别是中国所不具备的,足资我们借鉴。     

The end of free college in England: Implications for enrolments,equity, and quality

Despite increasing financial pressures on higher education systems throughout the world, many governments remain resolutely opposed to the introduction of tuition fees, and some countries and states where tuition fees have been long established are now reconsidering free higher education. This paper examines the consequences of charging tuition fees on university enrolments, equity, and proxies for institutional quality. To do so, we study the English higher education system which has, in just two decades, moved from a free college system to one in which tuition fees are among the highest in the world. Our findings suggest that England's shift has resulted in increased funding per head and rising enrolments, with no apparent widening of the participation gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students. The role of fees is moderated by other key features of higher education finance which may differ across countries: in contrast to other systems with high tuition fees, the English system is distinct in that its income-contingent loan system ensures that no tuition fees are paid upfront, and provides students with comparatively generous assistance for living expenses. Still, the English experience provides an instructive case for other countries considering implementing or abolishing tuition fees.     

在市场中确定成本约束的研究生学费定价与财政资助--解决成本分担比例问题的第二种技术方案

研究生教育是准公共产品,基于准公共产品第二种定义所提出的方案主张研究生学费定价和财政补贴可分立操作.研究生学费可首先单独建立在研究生教育是私人产品基础上,学费是学校根据学生需求和劳动力市场需求所确定的市场化价格,生均成本在市场中确定并且不高于学费;同时,针对不同学校、不同专业所产生的不同外部性,政府有针对性地单独用财政进行补贴以保证某种外部性的充足供给.竞争市场对私人收益和外部性的恰当反映成为确定学费与财政资助的依据.此方案将学费和生均成本决定权交给市场(学费等于生均成本),而将财政资助决定权保留给政府,财政资助成为对成本的分担.本文以比较的方法对美国华盛顿州正在实践中的宏观研究生学费定价政策进行了分析.     

Student expectations of the financial returns to higher education in the Czech Republic and England: Evidence from business schools

In this paper, the short-cut method is used to estimate expected rates of financial returns to higher education in the Czech Republic and a modified version of the method is used to suit the current English system of deferred tuition fees. First year university students were asked to estimate their expected earnings with and without a university degree at two points in time. The findings show that students perceive higher education to be a profitable investment and that rates of return vary by gender as well as by country and place of study. We conclude that the current level of tuition fees in England does not act as a disincentive for students to enter higher education.     

The construction of academic time: sub/contracting academic labour in research

In 2009, the South African Department of Education extended tuition fee abolition to schools serving the poorest 60% of students, increased from 40% in 2007. This policy intends to increase access to and longevity in school for the poorest households by removing fees as a barrier and replacing private revenue with increased state funds. Despite this progressive expansion of fee-free schooling, the reported frequency of non-attendance attributable to school fees increased from 2008 to 2009, particularly among poor females and primary-aged children. This paper attempts to explain this phenomenon by presenting three constraints that hamper the potential benefits of fee abolition: (1) the rationalization of educational expenditures; (2) perverse incentives for schools to exclude non-paying children; and (3) the poor targeting mechanisms of fee abolition and government spending. As a result, we find significant lags in the implementation of fee elimination and that many poor households are still required to pay user fees. Several finance policy options are recommended for the South African schooling system. Data originate from South Africa’s National Treasury and General Household Survey.     

西方国家高等教育学费政策的变化及其影响--以英国、澳大利亚、爱尔兰和美国为例

20世纪90年代以来高等教育学费政策在许多国家发生了很大变化,这些变化对高等教育的发展产生了重要影响.以英国、澳大利亚、爱尔兰和美国等国为例,英国学费政策实施时间虽短但处于不断调整之中;澳大利亚毕业后付费政策在世界上独树一帜;爱尔兰反其道而行之,取消学费效果最终如何?美国引领世界高等教育潮流,学费不断上涨结果如何?是什么因素影响学费政策的变化?这些国家学费政策变化最终会产生什么影响?     

我国高职高专学杂费的地区差异研究

目前,我国不同地区高职高专教育在生均学杂费绝对数、生均学杂费占生均教育经费比率、生均学杂费占居民可支配收入比率等方面存在较大差异.高等教育学杂费地区差异固然难以避免,但必须控制在合理区间内.提高财政性教育经费的投入力度,可以降低高职高专教育经费对学杂费收取的依赖;积极开展办学成本核算,可以提高财政性教育经费投入的科学性和地区均衡性;实施差额学杂费政策,可以减轻弱势群体的学杂费支出负担.     

大学学费定价行为分析——基于尼斯坎南混合官僚模型的研究

生产准公共产品、关联品和体验品的大学,在组织性质上不同于生产私人产品、非关联品和搜寻品的企业。适合企业的边际成本定价机制完全不同于具有混合型官僚组织特性的大学定价模型。学费政策的制定要综合考虑不同类型高等院校学费形成机制的差异。     

Students' financial concerns in higher education

Focus groups were conducted to explore prospective students' perceptions of tuition fees, maintenance loans and how these impact their decision to engage with higher education. Views on rebranding of the term ‘tuition fees’ to ‘student/graduate contributions/tax’ and the introduction of differential fees for different courses were explored. Concerns around high living costs of being at university featured largely in conversations with students, and much more so than tuition fees. Students were averse to the idea of differential tuition fees which they felt could create an elitist system where only affluent students could access some high‐cost subjects. There was little agreement with the concept of rebranding ‘tuition fees’ to a ‘graduate contribution, or tax’. Overall knowledge of student finance, in particular tuition fees, was limited, which in turn led to doubts and anxiety around the concept of student finance overall.     

高等教育私人支出、家庭贡献与资助需求分析

自1997年我国高等教育普遍实行成本补偿制度以来,高等学校收费和学生资助引起了社会各界的普遍关注。高等教育的私人支出有多少?受教育者本人及其家庭能贡献多少?学生资助能否弥补贡献能力与必需支出之间的差距,从而保证高等教育的公平性?本文通过大学生问卷调查对这一问题进行了实证研究和定量分析,并根据研究结果提出了相应的政策建议。     

Tuition fees and the demand for university places

Estimating the effect of tuition fee increases on demand for a university education is complicated by the potential endogeneity of tuition fees. The relative homogeneity of university tuition fees within Canadian provinces and the role of provincial governments in university funding and policies, provides an opportunity to use changes in the political party in power to identify plausibly exogenous changes in tuition fees. System estimates that take into account endogeneity of fees show large effects relative to single equation estimates, and to previous Canadian studies – a C$1000 increase in university tuition fees is estimated to reduce the enrolment rate by between 2.5 and 5 percentage points.     

俄罗斯高等学校经费来源探析

俄罗斯高等教育私有化改革已走过十年之路,在国立、私立界限逐渐模糊的情况下,二者均面临着经费不足的困境。联邦中央拨款、区域和地区的预算拨款、学校自身创收和学费收入是其国立高等学校经费来源的四大渠道,而学费收入则是其私立高校经费来源的主渠道。为解决经费不足的困难,俄中央政府制定了一系列政策,希望通过深化改革摆脱困境。     

建国初期私立小学拥护接收内部考察——以江苏地区为中心

建国初期由于社会大环境的变化,私立小学失去了来自外部经济资助,仅靠学费和国家的补助无法保证长期维持。私立小学的利益相关者诸如教师、家长及校董在各自利益的驱动下,形成了一股强大的欢迎政府接收的力量。     

关于加强高校学生收费管理的思考

高校学生收费管理工作是高校财务管理工作的一项重要内容,如何加强高校学生收费管理工作是当前的一个重要研究课题。文章对目前学生收费管理中存在的问题进行了分析,并提出了加强高校学生收费管理的措施。     

欧美高等教育机构经费来源及其启示

欧美高等教育机构的经费来源呈多元化格局,其中公共财政资金是基础,学费、销售、服务和合同、捐赠收入等各类非公共资金日益增长。内外部科研经费,自身的市场化经营与服务收入,规范化、专业化运作获得的捐赠收入,合理适度的学费与费用,成为欧美高等教育机构经费增长的四种渠道。     

再论高等教育的产业属性——兼论高等教育大众化的发展途径

当代,高等教育的产业属性不仅被越来越多的国家所认识,而且有成为发展高等教育的一个重要行动思想的趋势。近年来,一些发达国家的高等学校逐渐接受了投资—回报或投入—产出观念,不断提高学费标准,积极开拓和扩大高等教育国际贸易市场。为进一步加快我国高等教育大众化步伐,需要在三个方面给予政策关注:提高高等教育的收费标准;进一步推进我国的民办高等教育事业;提升我国高等教育的国际化水平。     

Understanding Higher Education Institutions’ Publicness: Do Public Universities Produce More Public Outcomes than Private Universities?

Higher education institutions produce a broad array of public outcomes. However, little is known about the varying levels of their contribution to the public good and what explains the variation among institutions. This study uses the theory of organisational publicness and examines how these institutions’ ownership status and resource publicness explain their outcome publicness, focusing on the expenditure for teaching, research and public service activities. The analysis of four‐year public and private universities in the 2012 Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System shows that universities’ reliance on federal funding is positively associated with the percentages of the expenditure on all three activities and their reliance on state funding is positively associated with the percentages of teaching and public service expenses. The findings reveal that the proportion of tuition and fees revenue is negatively associated with the percentage of public service expenditure. The results suggest that declining state funding and increasing reliance on tuition and fees weaken these institutions’ public service function, especially in the area of community engagement.