Integrating an aging student population into higher education – challenges for evidence-based policy in Europe

Abstract

Both demographic developments and the need for highly skilled workers have led to renewed efforts to widen access to higher education in Europe. This means looking beyond the traditional clientele of university education in terms of routes into higher education, age, and centrality of studies. Attracting and catering to this more comprehensive group entails rethinking study programs and study environment for a more heterogeneous student body. So where are we now on these issues and where can we expect to be in the next decade? This is a question being raised within the framework of the Europe-wide Bologna Process for higher education reform. On the basis of data sets being used for analysis within this reform program, a comparison of the situation in selected European countries will be presented. It will be shown that some countries are better placed to deal with the growing number of adult learners than others.