The Growth of Private Higher Education: An Overview in the Context of Liberalisation, Privatisation and Marketisation

Abstract

<p>Economic policies encouraging private ownership (liberalisation, privatisation and marketisation) have allowed Private Higher Education Institutions (PrHEIs) to proliferate in most parts of the world, particularly since the 1990s. The number of private colleges and universities continues to grow in most countries at a remarkable rate, partly reflecting the demand for greater choice and more flexibility, which PrHEIs are able to offer. In some countries, PrHEIs even outnumber public higher education institutions (PuHEIs) or are at least expected to do so within the next decade. This is particularly the case in emerging and developing countries. The worldwide expansion of private higher education can be illustrated by the fact that one in three students globally is now enrolled in PrHEIs, and there are very few places in the world where public monopolies continue to prevent the emergence of alternative providers from the private sector. In the UK, the Government recognises that private, for-profit higher education institutions, the majority of which award degrees in conjunction with state universities, typically function more efficiently and work harder to improve the student experience. Their appeal among non-traditional students dovetails perfectly with Government rhetoric to make higher education more accessible and widen participation. A legal framework has been created that makes it easier for challenger institutions to enter the market and compete with the public higher education sector. A more streamlined, student-focused approach to the regulation of higher education in the UK is also designed to stimulate further growth and competition in the HE sector, ensuring that private colleges and universities remain a viable alternative to the public sector. </p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0886/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

The Social and Economic Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Private Higher Education in Rwanda

“…A legal framework has been created that makes it easier for challenger institutions to enter the market and compete with the public higher education sector. A more streamlined, student-focused approach to the regulation of higher education in the UK is also designed to stimulate further growth and competition in the HE sector, ensuring that private colleges and universities remain a viable alternative to the public sector (Fayyaz Hussain Qureshi, Sarwar Khawaja, 2021).…”

Canadian Private Higher Education at a Glance

“…Post-secondary Education: Canada is known for its high-quality post-secondary (higher) education institutions, including universities, colleges, and vocational schools. The universities are characterised by degree-granting authority and high levels of institutional autonomy, while the colleges are more tightly regulated by Public and Private Higher Education Institutions: Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are classified as either public or private (Qureshi and Khawaja, 2021), and this binary category is quite challenging to define and distinguish each (Levin, 2005) because of a lack of conceptual clarity (Marginson, 2007). According to UNESCO (2014), a higher education institution is considered public if it is directly governed and managed by a public education authority, government agency, or a governing body appointed by a public authority or elected by a public franchise.…”

“…In defining private HEIs, Altbach (1999) suggests that those who operate for profit do not receive any grant from the Government and are "responsible for their own funding" (p.2). The most straightforward understanding of a private higher education institution is that of an organisation with private ownership and funding, while a public higher education Institution is an organisation with state ownership and funding (Qureshi and Khawaja, 2021). Regarding functionality, both public and private HEIs are equivalent, differing only in ownership or funding (Duczmal, 2006).…”

“…The demand for Higher Education (HE) worldwide is proliferating (Qureshi and Khawaja, 2021). Consequently, HE expanded exponentially (Komljenovic and Robertson, 2017).…”

“…In 2000, the number of enrolled students was 97 million, predicted to reach over 262 million students by 2025 (Bjarnason, 2009) and 377 million by 2030 (Calderon, 2018). As the demand for higher education has grown, what has become even more apparent is the public sector's lack of financial resources and inability to rapidly expand its provision to meet demand (Qureshi and Khawaja, 2021).…”