Brussels, 15/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - A new European Commission study published on 12 July, shows that cross-border higher education involves only a very small minority of students within the EU, but it is on an upward curve. Improving quality assurance of this kind of higher education could help to improve the situation.
The study, carried out by a consortium headed by Bertelsmann Stiftung on the behalf of the Commission, finds that levels of cross-border provision of higher education are highest where outgoing student mobility is also high. 24 member states are currently offering cross-border higher education opportunities. Estonia, Slovenia and Portugal are not proposing any. The situation varies significantly across the member states: cross-border higher education is very limited in Lithuania, Bulgaria and Poland. On the contrary, it is very widespread in Spain and Greece. Experts believe that insufficient domestic supply, limited to demand in specific areas, might be an important factor behind the increase in this kind of educational arrangement.
Levels of regulation vary among the member states, and mainly concern incoming operators; countries tend not to regulate the “export” of higher education. There is an overall lack of hard evidence as to the effects on the quality of teaching.
In terms of perception, ministries and quality assurance agencies tend to be rather neutral with regard to both benefits and perceived risks; providers tend to perceive fewer risks and more benefits, whilst conferences of rectors and umbrella organisations tend to see fewer benefits. The findings in the study suggest that a potentially fruitful field of action would relate to improving quality assurance of this type of provision of higher education. Data collection is currently lacking but, if improved, could help to better identify cross-border higher education structures and how it works, and would also help to provide students with clearer information. (IL/trans.fl)