Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

Study shows Europe lagging behind world in quality of higher ed
By David Brand
The Daily Free Press (Boston U.)
03/27/2006

(U-WIRE) BOSTON — Contrary to numerous reports that American universities are falling behind other foreign institutions, a recent study titled "The Economics of Knowledge: Why Education is Key for Europe's Success" reports that it is, in fact, colleges in Europe that have lost ground.

The report, authored by economist Andreas Schleicher, found the United States spends 50 percent more on each college student than European nations, although European universities charge less on average than American schools.

While the percentage of students qualified to attend or who do attend institutions of higher learning has continued to increase in the United States as well as in many Asian nations, the percentage has remained stagnant or even decreased in a large portion of European countries, the study shows.

Meanwhile, the number of American students working overseas has increased, according to Harvard economics professor Aleh Tsyvinski.

"There is a much wider market for international employment than people are aware of," said Deborah Halliday, assistant director of Career Services at Boston University.

Halliday said more students are working overseas because of a growing "trend of consortiums of [foreign] employers who come to United States universities, advertise and attract students." Late last fall, two representatives from companies in Singapore visited BU, showing "extreme interest" in hiring American students, according to Halliday.

When comparing American and European education, Tsyvinski praised the "liberal arts flavor" found in U.S. universities that gives American college students an edge over European students.

"Liberal arts education is more important in a changing world and will be what is most important," Tsyvinski said.

"In Europe, education is more vocational," he continued, adding that European students train for a specific job because students already have a set idea of their future profession at the beginning of their college careers.

Tsyvinski said that directly following graduation, European students may have an edge over American students in the specific field in which they studied, but American students generally have better ability to adapt because of their liberal arts background.

He added that the top universities in the United States are superior to Europe's higher quality institutions.

"There is no such thing as an elite university in Europe," he said. "The average level is very high, but it is standardized."

Tsyvinski pointed to Germany, which he said has many great schools but none comparable to the premier colleges in America.

"It is common for the best European scientists to become professors in the U.S.," he said, adding there has recently been a definite push in European universities — especially in England — to emphasize greater liberal arts education to compete with the best schools in the United States.

Halliday advised that liberal arts education might not be ideal if a student has a passion for a particular field, but she said that education with a liberal arts concentration can enhance a person's work ethic, creativity and the ability to identify personal strengths.

"Sometimes, students graduate and feel like a liberal arts degree is worth less than a specialized degree," Halliday said. "But, from what I know of life, where you end up is not dependent on what you majored in."

The growth of the global marketplace will create more international job search events sponsored by European countries, according to Halliday, who pointed to a two-day event at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in April in which European companies and research agencies, mainly based in France, will converge on MIT to participate in Forum USA, a career fair where they will meet and review the resume of college students in the Boston area.

[ Back to Student Voices ]