Higher Education in Scandinavia: A Case Study

The chapter examines how higher education in the Scandinavian countries of Denmark, Norway and Sweden are developing in relation to new contexts of globalization, national and international competition for students and research grants, economical efficiency and shortening of students’ length of studies. Two competing perspectives are at play; one seeing education as a public good and an important aspect of a welfare society, the other seeing education as an individual private investment. In Scandinavia higher education is generally free of tuition fees, and students are supported with study grants. During the 20th century, there has been a development towards universal access to education and diversification of educational institutions. The current tendency, however, is a process of centralization of higher education, fusions of existing institutions, focus on quality assurance, and discussions of limiting the growth of higher education.