Higher Education in the Nordic Countries
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TemaNord 2015:526 TemaNord TemaNord 2015:526 TemaNord Ved Stranden 18 DK-1061 Copenhagen K www.norden.org Higher Education in the Nordic Countries Evaluation of the Nordic agreement on admission to higher education Higher Education in the Nordic Countries The Nordic agreement on admission to higher education aims to ensure that in all the Nordic countries applicants to higher education from another Nordic country should be considered for admission on the same or equivalent basis as local applicants. In 2014 the Nordic Institute of Studies in Innovation, Research and Education (NIFU) evaluated the agreement. In the report the evaluators give a description and a mapping of Nordic student mobility in a European context, as well an evaluation how appropriate and effective the agreement is. It is concluded that the agreement and Nordic cooperation is largely taken for granted and that the agreement has both a practical and symbolic value for Nordic cooperation. For the future development four possible scenarios and a set of general recommendations are given. TemaNord 2015:526 ISBN 978-92-893-4051-9 (PRINT) ISBN 978-92-893-4053-3 (PDF) ISBN 978-92-893-4052-6 (EPUB) ISSN 0908-6692 TN2015526 omslag.indd 1 01-04-2015 10:27:37 Higher Education in the Nordic Countries Evaluation of the Nordic agreement on admission to higher education Mari Elken, Elisabeth Hovdhaugen and Jannecke Wiers‐Jenssen TemaNord 2015:526 Higher Education in the Nordic Countries Evaluation of the Nordic agreement on admission to higher education Mari Elken, Elisabeth Hovdhaugen and Jannecke Wiers‐Jenssen ISBN 978‐92‐893‐4051‐9 (PRINT) ISBN 978‐92‐893‐4053‐3 (PDF) ISBN 978‐92‐893‐4052‐6 (EPUB) http://dx.doi.org/10.6027/TN2015‐526 TemaNord 2015:526 ISSN 0908‐6692 © Nordic Council of Ministers 2015 Layout: Hanne Lebech Cover photo: ImageSelect Print: Rosendahls‐Schultz Grafisk Printed in Denmark This publication has been published with financial support by the Nordic Council of Ministers. However, the contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views, policies or recom‐ mendations of the Nordic Council of Ministers. www.norden.org/en/publications Nordic co‐operation Nordic co‐operation is one of the world’s most extensive forms of regional collaboration, involv‐ ing Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Åland. Nordic co‐operation has firm traditions in politics, the economy, and culture. It plays an im‐ portant role in European and international collaboration, and aims at creating a strong Nordic community in a strong Europe. Nordic co‐operation seeks to safeguard Nordic and regional interests and principles in the global community. Common Nordic values help the region solidify its position as one of the world’s most innovative and competitive. Nordic Council of Ministers Ved Stranden 18 DK‐1061 Copenhagen K Phone (+45) 3396 0200 www.norden.org Content Preface........................................................................................................................................................ 7 Summary ................................................................................................................................................... 9 Background and research focus ................................................................................................ 9 General recommendations ....................................................................................................... 13 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 17 Report structure ........................................................................................................................... 18 Methodological approach in this evaluation ...................................................................... 19 1. Nordic student mobility – historical and cultural roots................................................. 23 1.1 Historical roots of Nordic student mobility .......................................................... 23 1.2 Nordic cooperation in education through Nordic Council of Ministers ............................................................................................................................ 25 2. Student mobility in Europe ...................................................................................................... 29 2.1 Policy rationales for internationalisation and mobility .................................... 29 2.2 Global trends with respect to student mobility ................................................... 31 2.3 European cooperation in student mobility ........................................................... 35 2.4 Current student mobility patterns in EU................................................................ 41 2.5 Possible future devlopments ...................................................................................... 44 3. National contexts for student mobility in the Nordic countries ................................. 47 3.1 Degree structure ............................................................................................................. 48 3.2 National admission procedures................................................................................. 57 3.3 Internationalisation of higher education in Nordic countries........................ 61 3.4 Student loan arrangements for Nordic students ................................................. 67 3.5 Labour market conditions ........................................................................................... 69 3.6 Marketing and information ......................................................................................... 73 4. Analysis of Nordic student mobility patterns .................................................................... 77 4.1 Total number of outgoing students.......................................................................... 77 4.2 Overall mobility between Nordic countries .......................................................... 80 4.3 Nordic student mobility in individual Nordic countries .................................. 82 4.4 What subject fields attract the highest number of mobile students? .......... 85 4.5 Main conclusions from the statistical analysis..................................................... 86 4.6 Why do students cross borders to study?.............................................................. 87 5. Nordic agreement on admission to higher education .................................................... 91 5.1 Description of the agreement ..................................................................................... 91 5.2 Difficult formulations and exemptions ................................................................... 92 5.3 Financial compensation ............................................................................................... 95 5.4 The role, use and added value of the agreement ................................................. 98 5.5 Institutional practices ................................................................................................. 100 5.6 Linkage to other Nordic agreements and instruments ................................... 102 5.7 The relationship to European instruments ......................................................... 105 5.8 Challenges and critical cases – some examples ................................................. 107 5.9 Possible negative consequences of abolishing the agreement..................... 108 6. Future outlooks and recommendations ............................................................................ 111 6.1 Trends in Nordic cooperation .................................................................................. 111 6.2 Recommendations ....................................................................................................... 113 6.3 Four scenarios for the future ................................................................................... 116 References ........................................................................................................................................... 121 Web resources ............................................................................................................................ 126 Sammendrag ....................................................................................................................................... 127 Bakgrunn ...................................................................................................................................... 127 Generelle anbefalinger............................................................................................................. 131 Appendix .............................................................................................................................................. 135 Comprehensive list of questions (in Swedish) addressed in the report ................ 135 Thematic guide for the interviews ...................................................................................... 136 List of interviewed actors ....................................................................................................... 137 Text of the agreement .............................................................................................................. 138 Lisbon recognition convention on admission ................................................................