The construction of higher education students within national policy: a cross-European comparison

Abstract

It is often assumed within much of the academic literature and by many of those working in higher education that universities across Europe are homogenising, converging around an Anglo-American model as a result of neo-liberal pressures and the aim of creating a single European Higher Education Area. However, drawing on an analysis of 92 policy documents from six different European countries, this article demonstrates that enduring differences remainat least in so far as constructions of students are concerned. While European policy may assume that higher education students can move unproblematically across national borders, as part of the Erasmus mobility scheme, for example, we show that understandings of 'the student' differ in significant ways both across countries and, to some extent, within them. This has implications for both European policy and academic theorisation.

Students’ views about the purpose of higher education: a comparative analysis of six European countries

“…It is clear from our focus groups that many students, across Europe, believe that a key purpose of higher education is to prepare them for labour market entry. In many ways, this reflects dominant policy discourses in which students are positioned clearly as 'future workers' and the economic rationale for degree-level study is typically foregrounded (Brooks, 2019;McArthur, 2011). Nevertheless, as we have shown above, students' views in this respect are nuanced and complex.…”

“…Indeed, even within the most marketized systems in our sample, many focus group participants did still emphasise the non-economic role of higher education facilitating personal development and enabling societal development. Students thus demonstrated their ability effectively to 'answer back' (Clarke et al, 2007) to politicians and policymakers who tend to understand the purpose of higher education as primarily (and sometimes exclusively) a preparation for labour market participation (Brooks, 2019).…”

Students as political actors? Similarities and differences across six European nations

“…While some studies have suggested that, across Europe, students are increasingly being seen as consumers (e.g. Moutsios, 2013), other research has indicated that important differences endure-at least as far as policy constructions are concerned (Brooks, 2018(Brooks, , 2019. Research within individual nations has also highlighted that how students are understood can differ by institution, particularly in countries with a high degree of institutional stratification (Reay et al, 2010).…”

The Covid-19 pandemic and the dissolution of the university campus: implications for student support practice

“…At the same time, however, it is important to note that every crisis offers an opportunity to explore and find new structures and forms of engagement to critically reimagine educational practices and interactions (Bowring, 2011;Norberg, 2011). Each crisis raises the ultimate question of: 'what community or form of "human living-together" is possible when its (potential) members no longer have anything [physically] in common?'…”

“…Networked individualism is particularly important in a context where, over the past two decades, students in many countries have been constructed both as individual consumers of higher education as well as investors in their own futures (Brooks, 2019;Raaper, 2019;Tomlinson, 2017).…”