The news of a state investigation of the resource allocation system for higher education was presented in a debate article by Helene Hellmark Knutsson (S), Minister of Higher Education and Research, at SvD debate 22 November 2016.
The Swedish National Union of Students (SFS) welcomes the government's announcement to appoint a government inquiry to review the resource allocation system for higher education. It is a victory for Sweden's students who have long pointed out the shortcomings of today's unfair and underfunded systems. Particular responsibility, we see the ambition to review the entire system with both education and research, as all parts affect each other.
In the long run, the inquiry can also be a great benefit for society, if the current resource allocation system is reformed so that higher education in Sweden focuses on learning and maintains a consistently high quality. SFS has identified three priority areas that require action:
Replace today's performance-based system with a participant-based system. Today, the appropriations for courses are divided into two parts. First, compensation is given based on the number of registered students, then compensation is given for the number of students who pass the course. In other words, it is an incentive that promotes high throughput, which for several reasons may be desirable, but with the current system, the problem arises when courses that few registered students pass are given less funding than courses that many registered students pass. We think this is reversed, because courses that few students pass are probably in need of resources to develop and change the education. The proportion of students who pass an examination also says very little about the actual cost. Instead of a performance-based system, SFS wants students' learning and quality of education to be in focus. This would create incentives for actual learning - and provide better conditions for developing it.
Provide resources for learning. The allocation of resources should be based on the type of teaching that promotes learning, rather than the subject being studied. Our hope is that the review highlights the importance of savings initiatives, such as the productivity deduction, not affecting the actual costs of education. New assignments must also be followed by new funds. The most important thing is that students are given the conditions to achieve the learning objectives.
Compensate for the erosion. One thing we know for sure already today is that a review of the system is not enough. The government needs to compensate for the erosion of funding for higher education that has been created over the past 20 years. The erosion is mainly due to the productivity deduction that applies to all government operations in combination with a poorly matched price and wage recalculation in relation to actual costs.
We see the announced investigation as a great victory for the entire higher education sector and in the future a broad commitment to the issue is required. SFS and the country's student unions are also in the continued process ready to contribute to the development of a resource allocation system that promotes learning and puts educational quality in focus. The fact that an inquiry is now to be set up is a major step in the right direction, for Sweden to become a strong knowledge society that can both compete with expertise in the global market, satisfy people's right to education and enable individuals' lifelong learning.
Learning in higher education does not happen by itself. Sufficient and appropriate resources are needed for all educations, to ensure high quality education and high goal fulfillment. It is not just a question of resources, but a question of justice that to the highest degree determines our future as a strong knowledge society.
Caroline Sundberg, President of the Swedish National Union of Students
Charlotta Tjärdahl, Vice President of the Swedish National Union of Students