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Central Europe's universities will fall further behind

Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Subject

Higher education in Central-Eastern Europe.

Significance

Higher education reform has been on Central-Eastern European (CEE) governments’ agenda since the transition to democracy and market capitalism in 1989-90. Many CEE universities now offer courses in English and attract international students. Yet the most talented students and most successful academics go to Western Europe or North America, reflecting poorly on CEE's economic prospects.

Impacts

  • Limited access to quality education is impeding productivity across CEE, depressing overall economic growth.
  • CEE is holding back European higher education in the competition not only with the United States, but also, increasingly, Asia.
  • Countries that enact bold reforms, invite private funding and engender domestic competition may shoot ahead in the regional race.

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