What lessons can we learn from the Netherlands and the United Kingdom?

1. What lessons can we learn from the Netherlands and the United Kingdom? Michèle Belot University of Essex (UK)

2. Outline Overview of the Dutch and UK higher education system • Admission procedures: From secondary school into higher education • Public intervention in higher education • Performance in higher education • Success rates in first year • Student enrolments, according to economic background Public subsidies and access to higher education • The Netherlands: Effects of a reduction in public subsidies to higher education in 1996 on access and performance in higher education • The UK: Overall increase in tuition fees in 2007 Conclusions and lessons for Belgium

3. Admission procedures - Netherlands University Education Higher Professional Education 1 year University Preparatory Education (VWO) Senior General Secondary Education (HAVO) Senior Secondary Vocational Education (MBO) 21% 20% 56% Primary education

4. Admission procedures - UK • Pupils apply to universities in the last year of secondary school • Universities make offers conditional on A-level exam results

5. Costs and student support • Tuition fees NL: +/- 1500 euro UK: £1175 (2005-2006) • Student support NL: Support for costs of living (Student Support Act 1992) • Decreased over time • Widening of lending possibilities UK: Means-tested tuition fees, loans

6. Fees and student support in NL • Netherlands • Annual fee + costs of living

7. Grants / loans and performance in NL • Grant conditional on performance (students must pass at least 50% of the total number of credits)

8. Student performance in NL Source: CBS Netherlands

9. Student enrolments • Overall: Participation rates in tertiary education (type A) – OECD Education at a Glance (2001) • NL: 32% • UK: 33.7% • Belgium: 46.3%

10. Participation and socio-economic background • Correlation between enrolments and socio-economic background. Netherlands: University education: 50% of students have a father with a higher education diploma 30% of students have a mother with a higher education diploma Higher vocational education: 30% of students with father with a higher education diploma 15-20% with mother with university diploma Overall: 25% of the population has a higher education diploma • However: • No link between parental background and participation once we control for ability (grade at secondary final exam) and type of secondary education

11. Student enrolments and socio-economic background - UK

12. Public subsidies and access to higher education • Experience from the Netherlands • Experience from the UK

13. Public subsidies and performance in higher education • Lessons from the Netherlands • In 1996, reduction of the amount of student support from 5 years to 4 years (i.e. nominal duration of studies) • Comparing a sample of students before and after the reform, we find: • No effect on total student enrolments • Students reallocated from university to higher professional education • Performance increased: Lower drop-outs, larger number of units completed per year

14. The effects of the reform • Mainly affected relatively good students • No stronger effects according to educational background

15. Reform and choice

16. Reform and student performance

17. Lessons for Belgium • Over-representation of students from good socio-economic backgrounds • Democratization of higher education should take place earlier (primary and secondary school) • Selection at entry / student support • Does not constitute a barrier for low-income families