On funding of higher education in Estonia

One of the reasons for the structural weakness of the Estonian Higher Education system is the way it is financed. There are a number of state-funded places at universities, which are given according to a service contract to be agreed every year based on what the state determines is necessary. This is based purely on the lobby work universities are able to do at the Ministry of Education and Research and on how well they have implemented the directives coming from the Ministry. In that sense the system of higher education in Estonia is based on a model of state planning (just like it was in the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic).

Recently the system was modified so that now the state “orders” for example an x number of social sciences (business, law, etc) students from one university and y number of social sciences students from another. Again, these numbers are based purely on favours, ministerial whims and how a given university stands in the eyes of the Ministry officials. Therefore, when before it was purely up to the state to decide how many lawyers it orders, then now it also depends on the position of the law department within the university (if it is powerful it gets more places, if not then not).

There is fierce competition to certain state-funded places (business, law, IT), whereas certain curricula remain unfulfilled (mostly “hard” sciences). All other students pay themselves fully for their studies and there is a lot of them.

Now, these are the consequences of this system:

1. The students are completely left out of the decision-making on where state funding goes. The students vote with their feet and choose areas of study they think are more benefitial for them in the future. The state funding completely ignores this will of the students and keeps funding areas where no-one wants to study, forcing students to study things they do not want, provided that they cannot afford to pay for the studies themselves.
2. The universities suffer as poor quality and unnecessary departments and faculties are kept afloat by state financing. There is no incentive for improvement, which results in poor quality graduates.
3. In departments/faculties where there is interest by the students, but no or little state financing this means also loss of quality as the departments must relay to a large extent on self-financing students, who work at the same time or who have been unable to get to the few state-funded places.

The OECD has recommended already in 2007 in their review of the Tertiary Education in Estonia that student enrollment should be the basis of higher education strategy:

The Review Team is of the view that Estonia should ensure that any new financing arrangements continue to allow student demand to have a significant influence both on the overall size and shape of the higher education system in Estonia and provision at the institution level. This would entail the state financing institutions on the basis of actual enrolments or graduations rather than purchasing, in advance, places in particular fields and levels of study. Following this line of thinking, we believe that the Estonian government should reflect on extending public subsidies to all students in properly accredited courses at private institutions (once the quality assurance arrangements planned by the 2006-2015 Higher Education Strategy are fully operational) as well as allowing the total number of students receiving public support to be driven by demand rather than rationed.

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Moving to a system in which student demand is the main driver behind the distribution of students between and within institutions would also necessitate the reconceptualisation of the contract between the government and institutions. In a sense the state would move from being a purchaser of a defined set of services to that of a funding partner with students. The Review Team believes that this role remains compatible with a broadly contractual relationship with institutions in which institutions are expected to meet certain requirements particularly regarding quality and orientation to the labour market. In this context, the focus of the contract should move from the specifics of the places purchased to the broad objectives which the government would like institutions to achieve. The negotiation of the contract could become a process whereby the government as a funding partner engages in a strategic discussion with institutions of higher education about directions and means.

The current system of financing simply reinforces the existing structural faults and keeps the higher education system severly handicapped. The universities remain state-oriented, not student-oriented.

Those students who can afford to do so do not go to study what the state wants them to study in order to sustain certain areas of teaching (certain professors), they will pay themselves or go abroad.

Without excellent and motivated students there is no room for competitive research either, and the more bright people move away and contribute to the research of some other country, the poorer Estonia will remain, both academically and economically.

New Orleans

I have arrived in New Orleans, Louisiana, the United States of America. After a gruelling, but quite problem-free 20+ hour flight and 20 hour sleep in the coolest hotel I have ever been to, I must say that I feel great about being here. Yesterday we (I am travelling with a colleague) did nothing except walking around the Vieux Carré a bit and had alligator and shrimp Po-Boys and local beer at the Pierre Maspero’s Restaurant.

We will be in New Orleans until Monday morning, after which we go to Nashville, Tennessee. I will write more soon.

Welcome to our new TUT overlords

It was made public today that International University Audentes is to merge with Tallinn University of Technology, if everything goes according to the plan, then by the end of this academic year. Although I do not really know what will happen, I am cautiously optimistic as having a backing of a larger educational institution allows to develop faster and further. I do not want to say anything bad about Audentes, so I will not say anything.

One thing that irritates me is the constant name changes of this institution I am associated with. Concordia International University Estonia’s assets were bought by Audentes Mainor University (itself a result of several mergers), which was renamed Audentes University, with the international studies institution named International University Concordia Audentes. Then the two institutions were put together under the name International University Audentes, a name which I personally despised. So now a new chapter will begin, if everything goes according to plans.

The draft of the new laws on higher education

If anyone is interested, then here is the new draft on the quality reform (in Estonian). Pretty interesting.

Some thoughts about the Estonian Higher Education Quality Reform

It was announced yesterday that there are going to be changes in the accreditation of Estonian higher education institutions, mainly that institutional accreditation is going to be introduced. This means that any university which passes this will be operate with constant fear of losing some of its programmes and can focus on continuous institution-building, rather than worrying only about specific curricula. This also allows the universities to be more efficient, flexible and synergetic.

I do not really know what exactly this means for my current employer, but in any case it is much better to finally have clarity on these issues. Too long has the Estonian higher education system been in legal limbo, and it is too long that certain practices and obviously worthless institutions have been allowed to exist.

In my opinion having a competitive and efficient higher education market is a prerequisite for Estonia’s long term economic development. The stepts announced yesterday will definitely bring us closer to that, but there are also many uncertainties in the application of the quality reform. There is a threat, that could derail the reform, or not bring the desired results.

Although there has been much talk about being internationally competitive, Estonia’s higher education laws do not really allow for meaningful international cooperation to take place (joint degrees and diplomas have still not been allowed for example). This is not a problem only for Estonia, but the whole EU: in a situtation where there is a common market, common laws on commercial activities, movement of goods and provision of services, the higher education market has remained fractured. This is due to lack of coordination: even the much discussed Bologna reform remains to be completed.

Universities are still very national entities: we talk mostly about UK, Belgian, French, German, Finnish, etc universities, but not European universities. Compare this with the US, where location of a university does not really matter that much (Harvard is Harvard, regardless of its location).

For Estonia, the best option would be to be open. Open to students coming in and supportive of students going out. Open to cooperation with other universities in the strive for internationalisation of higher education. This requires a significant shift away from the current local-student-oriented approach, real competitions for staff instructors, and, in most areas, shift away from Estonian as the full language of instruction.

It also requires that universities develop its own niches where they can offer world-class education and research. Estonia is way small for everything under the sun to be taught here, locally. But we can concentrate on a few areas where we can be internationally competitive.

Law School brochure + Teeviit

I made a small brochure on what our Law School has to offer. The main part took ca 1 hour to put together using Apple’s Pages.

Tomorrow I will be at the educational fair Teeviit, representing the Law School (and handing out the brochures).

Human Rights Week at International University Audentes

The Human Rights Centre at International University Audentes is having a Human Rights Week. More info from www.humanrights.ee.

The winning entry

Kakerdaja raba
Originally uploaded by Kari Käsper

I won a photo contest organised by our university health club. We went to the Kakerdaja bog and took photos. And this one, mine, was voted the best.

Come and study at the Law School of International University Audentes!

We have an admissions period at the university right now, so I thought to use my blog to disseminate information about the Law School.

What can you study and in which form?

1. Law Bachelor (120 Estonian (180 ECTS) credit points, three years):
a) full-time in English;
b) full-time in Estonian;
c) weekend studies (every other weekend) in Estonian.

The studies will give you an Estonian state accredited Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences degree.

2. Law Master (80 Estonian (120 ECTS) credit points, two years):
a) executive style in English (two non-consecutive intensive weeks (Mon-Sat) during first three semesters, plus virtual courses, thesis writing during the fourth semester)
b) weekend studies (every other weekend) in Estonian.

The studies will give you an Estonian State accredited Master of Arts in Law degree.

Why choose Audentes Law School?

- multicultural and international learning environment
- heritage of the acclaimed Concordia University Law School
- contemporary curricula, with emphasis on European and international law
- flexible and student-centric approach

Additional admissions information from the IUA Admissions Office.

Leadership sans authority

On Friday I had a chance to listen to an open lecture by professor Adel Safty. First of all it was a very fortunate decision for me actually not to go home, but stick around at the university until the lecture, second of all I am very grateful to whoever organised this visit. These lectures should take place more often, and with people who have the same kind of credentials as professor Safty.

He talked about many things, but I found most interesting the concept of having leadership without actually being in power. This applies not only to global politics, but also to societies and smaller groups. We live in an age where a single person with a great idea can lead others whereas the traditional power structures sometimes prove to be somewhat inflexible.

I agreed with his comments regarding the role of the UN and the importance of establishing genuine leadership there, and not allow it to be usurped for national interests (which is made possible by the existence of vetoes for certain permanent members of the Security Council). I truly feel that we live in a world that is changing, and it is changing for the better. Governments no longer can exercise full authority over their subjects.

There are several factors which make this change possible from the possibility of an individual uploading a video filmed on his or her mobile phone to YouTube to almost failed US politicians finding new courage and missions in fighting global warming (I refer to Al Gore and his slideshow and subsequent film which won an Oscar for best documentary). As prof Safty pointed out, the person does not necessarily have to be well-known person such as Al Gore, it can be anyone.

This is the kind of leadership I feel comfortable providing as well. I do not like power, I am afraid that a position of power might change me for the worse. I have never wanted power, but I do have ideas that I wish to be implemented.