This document summarizes key developments in higher education in four European countries: Norway, the Netherlands, Spain, and Ireland. It finds that while participation in higher education has increased across the EU, there remain specific challenges regarding inclusiveness, alternative routes to higher education, and flexibility of study programs. The document analyzes survey data on these issues in the four countries and identifies 10 common challenges facing higher education systems in areas like access, study conditions, and successful completion.

1. The modernisation of European higher education through
paying attention to the social dimension – developments
and challenges in 4 selected countries
Attaining and Sustaining Mass Higher Education – Theme 6: How can higher
education deal with the challenges it faces?
Paris, Sep. 17-19, 2012
Dominic Orr
Attaining and Sustaining Mass Higher Education Dr. Dominic Orr 1

2. Contents
1. General context in EU
2. Data sources for analysis
3. EUROSTUDENT indicators
4. Country case studies – NO, NL, ES, IE
5. 10 challenges suggested by these cases
Attaining and Sustaining Mass Higher Education Dr. Dominic Orr 2

3. General background to developments in European higher education
More graduates of tertiary education
EU-27 average share of holders of tertiary education 2000: 22.4%
certificate in age group 30-34 years 2010: 33.6%
… according to the EU’s strategic framework for European
cooperation in education and training (ET 2020) 2020: 40.0%
Reasons
• Knowledge society Specific challenges
• News skills for new jobs • More inclusive higher Peer
education learning
General challenges • Alternative routes into HE
• Demography • Flexibility of study
between
• Constraints on public spending programmes countries &
• Social dimension institutions
Attaining and Sustaining Mass Higher Education Dr. Dominic Orr 3

4. Data sources for analysis
Source Administrative Survey data Qualitative
data information
Type of Institutional / Individual Context
information programme data data information on
(“administrative structures,
footprint”) procedures and
policy measures
(especially: case
studies)
Challenges and compromises
• Need comparative conceptual categories to enable the
comparison (e.g. ISCED for levels of education)
• Need comparative data sets
• Trade-off in terms of analysis between depth and breadth
Attaining and Sustaining Mass Higher Education Dr. Dominic Orr 4

5. Survey data results on: Inclusiveness, routes into HE and flexibility of programmes
Outcome & Input Measure 1 Measure 2
3.0
Norway, The
2.5
Netherlands,
Spain & Ireland
– high rates of
2.0 participation, al 1.90
so for low SES
1.68
1.5
groups
1.59
1.0
NO NL ES IE 1.01
0.72
0.63
0.5
0.50 0.42
0.00
0.0
index: low qualification background share of students through alternative index: flexibility of study intensity
(ISCED 0-2) routes (% div by 10)
NO NL ES IE 1 Quartile Median 3 Quartile
Attaining and Sustaining Mass Higher Education Dr. Dominic Orr 5

6. 10 challenges for higher education provision based on policy discussions and
measures in the 4 countries
Access Study conditions Successful completion
Challenges
1. Facilitate participation in 5. Flexible provision for variable 10. Facilitate the
HE study intensity transition of
2. Facilitate participation in 6. Assure the commitment of graduates to the
the best courses at the new types of students to their labour market
best colleges / programmes
universities 7. Provide teaching and learning
3. Facilitate participation in according to new pedagogical
supplementary concepts
experiences, esp. 8. Provide incentives for colleges
mobility programmes / universities to retain
4. Support prospective students and increase
students in making the completion rates
‘right’ choices 9. Provide counselling and advice
during study period
Attaining and Sustaining Mass Higher Education Dr. Dominic Orr 6