Question Scans

Question Scans

Question 1: What factors account for increases and decreases in student enrolment at post-secondary institutions?

Overview

The purpose of this question scan was to determine the feasibility of conducting a systematic review of the literature devoted to identifying factors that account for increases and decreases in student enrolment in post-secondary institutions.

Searches applying a broad range of applicable search terms to four major databases initially yielded a total of 158 potentially relevant articles. Subsequent examination of article abstracts reduced this number to 105. A search of government and professional/sectoral organisation websites yielded an additional 2 documents.

Two major themes are revealed within the literature devoted to this question.

  • Labour market supply and demand effects on enrolment.
  • Socio-economic and financial effects on enrolment.

Included within the first theme are references to labour market fluctuations, increases and decreases in labour supply needs for certain fields such as technology or teaching, and general discussions of the skills requirements of a new, global economy.

Much literature devoted to the second theme examines fiscal factors affecting enrolment patterns. Most articles focus on the influences of: tuition fees; levels of financial aid and student debt; government funding to universities; and, students’ socio-economic standing’s mediation of the effects of government and university policies.

A third minor theme is demographic, for example (im)migration, ethno-cultural
background, age and gender, effects on enrolment.

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