Primera hipótesis: De los límites de la documentación

Key findings

Students’ enrolment in Bachelor programmes: Around 70 % of students are en- rolled in Bachelor study programmes on (unweighted) average across all EURO- STUDENT countries. In the majority of countries, the share of students enrolled in Bachelor programmes is greater among high intensity students than among low intensity students and among students without higher education background than among their peers with higher education background.

Students’ enrolment in Master programmes: Around one in five students is en- rolled in a Master study programme across all EUROSTUDENT countries. In the majority of countries, the share of students enrolled in Master programmes is higher among low intensity students than among high intensity students. Also in two thirds of the countries, the share of students enrolled in Master programmes is greater among those with higher education background than among their counterparts without higher education background.

Students’ enrolment in short-cycle higher education programmes and long na- tional programmes: In almost all EUROSTUDENT countries for which data are available, the share of students enrolled in short-cycle higher education programmes is higher among low intensity students, students without higher education back- ground, and delayed transition students than among their respective counterparts. On the other hand, the share of students enrolled in long national programmes is relatively low among these groups in all of the countries.

Students’ formal status of enrolment and study intensity: In more than half of the EUROSTUDENT countries, at least 80 % of students are enrolled as full-time stu- dents. In five countries at least one in four students has a part-time status. In many countries, the formal status of students does not align completely with their actual study intensity: In six countries, at least 60 % of part-time students spend more than 21 hours per week on study-related activities.

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Main issues

The European higher education system and especially the 47 signatory states of the Bologna Declaration have witnessed significant degree and curriculum reforms in the recent years. The Bologna process has resulted in a considerable restructuring of study programmes in the majority of its signatory states with the goal to make higher educa- tion systems more compatible between countries and to promote mobility (Bologna Declaration, 1999). In view of these reforms, this chapter examines the enrolment pattern and the characteristics of students in different study programmes. An addi- tional analysis examines the formal status of students, i.e. whether they are registered to study on a full-time or part-time basis. This analysis is based on the emphasis of the Bologna reforms on making study structures flexible to enable students, especially those who are working or second-chance learners, to balance their personal, profes- sional, and educational activities.

Degree and curriculum reforms

The key reforms in relation to the degree structures stem from the Bologna Declaration (1999). In order to make the higher education systems more compatible between coun- tries in Europe and to facilitate student mobility, the Bologna framework proposed the adoption of a European system of higher education based on two main cycles, under- graduate and graduate, consisting of Bachelor and Master degrees, respectively (Bolo- gna Declaration, 1999). Later, in the Berlin Communiqué (2003), doctoral studies were included as the third cycle in the reforms. In the same year, short-cycle higher educa- tion programmes and qualifications were also included within the Bologna framework. According to the Bologna structure, a Bachelor degree generally requires completion of 180 to 240 credits1, spread over a period of three years. The credit requirements for a Master degree vary between 60 and 120 credits. Short-cycle higher education pro- grammes typically refer to programmes requiring 120 credits (Bergen Communiqué, 2005). In addition, nearly all countries offer integrated/long national programmes for certain regulated professions which according to EU and/or national legislations re- quire five to six years of studies. The study fields offered as long national programmes vary across countries, but they often include medicine, dentistry, veterinary studies, pharmacy, and architecture. In a few countries, study fields such as engineering, theol- ogy, architecture, and law are also offered as long national programmes (Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency, 2012).

In addition to making the study programmes comparable and compatible across mem- ber countries, the Bologna Agenda also intends to introduce ‘flexible learning path- ways’ and ‘student-centred learning’. In order to represent the ‘diversity of the popula- tion’ and for inclusion of underrepresented groups, flexibility in study programmes is considered necessary to help diverse student groups balance their education, profes- sional, and personal demands. A few ways of achieving this are through the provision of part-time study programmes, distance education courses, short cycle programmes, and by breaking the workload into smaller units.

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In view of the degree and curriculum reforms, this chapter describes the enrolment of students in study programmes according to the Bologna two-cycle structure, short- cycle higher education programmes, and long national programmes. This chapter also examines the flexibility of study structures in the EUROSTUDENT countries by looking at the share of students with full-time and part-time enrolment status.

Selective enrolment in degree programmes

The reforms in the higher education systems present students with innumerable oppor- tunities and choices, ranging from selecting study programmes to types of institutions and field of study. Different types of study programmes lead to different employment prospects, which may be more or less attractive to certain student groups. The short- cycle higher education programmes, because of their applied focus, particularly attract students from disadvantaged backgrounds, such as first generation students, ethnic minority groups, and adult learners (Kirsch, Beernaert, & Nǿrgaard, 2003). At the same time, courses in medicine, law, and veterinary science, which are mostly offered as long national programmes, have been found to attract students from high social backgrounds (Reimer & Pollak, 2010). Against this background, this chapter further examines the characteristics of students enrolled in various study programmes and fields of study.

Methodological and conceptual notes

Classification of study programmes and definition of students’ formal enrolment

In examining students’ enrolment patterns, three aspects are considered in this chap- ter. These include an examination of the share of students across various study pro- grammes, fields of study, and the formal status of students’ enrolment. In understand- ing students’ enrolment across study programmes, the following four types of programmes are considered: Bachelor programmes, Master programmes, short-cycle higher education programmes, and long national programmes.

The formal status of students is assessed on the basis of their formal registration sta- tus, i.e. whether they are enrolled in the higher education programme on a full-time or a part-time basis. The classification as full-time and part-time students is independent of the number of hours actually spent on study-related activities ( Chapter 6). Therefore, it may not correlate completely with the actual intensity of the study programme. Sys- tematic differences between student groups are investigated for all aspects of students’ enrolment.

Notes on national surveys

A small number of countries deviated marginally from the EUROSTUDENT survey conventions, which limits the international comparability of their data on a few indica- tors on students’ enrolment.

In Finland, students pursuing medical degrees are included in the Master pro- grammes category as opposed to long national programmes.

In Germany the category ‘other post-graduate’ was not offered as a response option in the survey. Therefore, in the case of Germany, the category ‘other’ may comprise both post-graduate and undergraduate students enrolled in ‘other’ programmes.

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In just over half of

the EUROSTUDENT

countries, more than 90 % of stu- dents are enrolled

in programmes corresponding to the Bologna two- cycle structure

It must also be noted that there is no official part-time enrolment status in Finland. Data on students’ formal status of enrolment in Finland are based on students’ self- assessment of their status and not on their formal registration status.

In Denmark, Italy, and Latvia, national samples comprise only full-time students. Data from Austria are from the year 2011 and are therefore of limited international

comparability with regard to students’ enrolment in long national programmes.

Strengths and shortcomings of EUROSTUDENT data

EUROSTUDENT data on types and modes of study capture how students in differ- ent countries are distributed across study programmes and fields of study. Adminis- trative statistics on this may provide somewhat more reliable rates of participation. However, they do not enable the analyses of the types of students taking them up, certainly not in a comparative context. The main strength of the EUROSTUDENT

data is that it allows for examining the distribution of students in different countries across study programmes and fields of study by sex, educational background, study intensity, type of higher education institution, age groups. Data on the enrolment of students in the Bologna third cycle degree are only included optionally in the

EUROSTUDENT survey and therefore not discussed in this chapter, although this would certainly be insightful for the analyses of students’ types and modes of study.

Data and interpretation

The Bologna reforms and the introduction of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) in 2010 have resulted in a substantial reorganisation of study programmes in the majority of its member states. This analysis takes a closer look at the distribution of students across the Bologna first and second cycle study programmes and their charac- teristics. The analysis also describes students enrolled in short-cycle higher education programmes. These programmes enjoy a special status in the Bologna reforms and are perceived as important in addressing the social dimension of higher education (Berlin Communiqué, 2003).

Distribution of students across study programmes

In just over half of the EUROSTUDENT countries, more than 90 % of students are en- rolled in programmes corresponding to the Bologna two cycle structure (Figure 5.1). In the remaining countries, this share varies between 64 % and 87 %. On (unweighted) average across all EUROSTUDENT countries, around 70 % of students are enrolled in Bachelor programmes, another 20 % in Master programmes, whereas the remaining 10 % are distributed between short-cycle higher education programmes, long national programmes, and other national degrees/programmes.

The share of students enrolled in Bachelor programmes varies between EUROSTU- DENT countries. It fluctuates between more than 80 % in Russia, Georgia, Monte- negro, Lithuania, Armenia, Ukraine, the Netherlands, Romania, Serbia, and Bosnia- Herzegovina to less than half in Malta, Sweden, and France.

In all EUROSTUDENT countries apart from Russia, at least 10 % of students are enrolled in Master programmes. In around one quarter of the EUROSTUDENT coun- tries, this share is more than 25 % (Switzerland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Finland, Poland, Norway, and Malta).

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