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Competitiveness / Education and Research

As the British economic crisis persist eating into their education sector, could Sweden benefit from the fall out

Sunday, 06 January 2013
British University community is huge and powerful pushing the country on top of the world when it comes to the desire of many people all over the world who want to study in that country's universities. But as the UK insist on using its tough austerity policy going forward as a means to cut its national debt, it has bitten hard into the heart of one vibrant aspect of its economy - university education.

The guardian newspaper arm, The Observer reports on Sunday that University leaders in the UK are protesting at 'disastrous neglect' of postgraduates and the complaint comes as the British research councils revealed to have withdrawn from supporting taught master's degrees programs to British people. The Sunday broad sheet continues that Vice-chancellors from universities across Britain have spoken out against the "economically disastrous and socially divisive" neglect of postgraduate students.

One area of concern is that according to the paper, British research councils have withdrawn from supporting taught master's courses, which are often vital for academic or professional careers. The effect of this is that fees for such courses increased by 11percent this year in response to cuts in teaching grants, according to the 1994 Group of universities.

Some of the country's most senior academics say that a lack of funding to help potential postgraduate students with fees and living costs – particularly those who wish to read for a taught master's – threatens future economic growth. They say there is a growing danger that further study will be reserved for those from wealthy backgrounds.

But the head of the universities in the UK supported the government decision to increase fees and cut study support such that many of them rushed to hikes fees when the law because a reality. It would be seen as hypocrisy now for some of them to come out and complain of a policy, which they supported.

Well, that is British problem. How can Sweden benefit from this fall out? We have great universities in Sweden with wonderful infrastructure but it looks like they are not properly used. Unlike German and Holland, since Sweden instituted tuition fees for student from outside the EU, foreign students coming here have fallen. I am not seeing campaigns carried out by Sweden universities in the media-targeting fee paying none EU or even EU full time students. Now the UK is in chaos, how can we in Sweden benefit from non EU or even EU students who could want to try our various high quality higher education systems. This is not only to attract foreign student who can spend money here on our local goods but also to benefit from some of the knowledge they would leave behind or some of then can even come with innovative approach to improve our way of doing things.

Some of our problems though are Housing shortages and the closeness of Swedish people and probably the growing activities of the far right could deter interested students.
By Scancomark.com Team

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