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Report 2009:16 R

Prior knowledge and higher education admission requirements

The Högskoleverket´s (the Swedish National Agency for Higher Education) subject and programme evaluations for 2001-2006 indicated that many teachers consider that students may have insufficient knowledge when they commence their studies, and that requirements by higher education institutions have been reduced as a result.
 
This study has several aims:
  • To provide a more balanced and detailed picture than the Agency´s previous evaluations of students´ previous knowledge and higher education requirements
  • To investigate whether there is a correlation between prior knowledge and requirements
  • To develop the Agency´s efforts and discussion within higher education institutions of how standards are to be maintained in the higher education sector in the light of the current prerequisites.

The data has been collected via a review of publications in this field, group interviews and Internet questionnaires.

Teachers consider that students´ previous knowledge has deteriorated in recent years. Students find it difficult to express their ideas in writing, have a weaker grasp of mathematics and only have a superficial knowledge of English. Motivation and the level of ambition are weak. Students require considerable assistance, and they do not take responsibility for their studies.

Students are a more heterogeneous group. Many students may still have adequate knowledge, and some are both motivated and high-achievers. But there is an increasing proportion of weaker students, and greater differences between groups.

On the whole, students are better at expressing themselves orally, cooperating and handling computers.
 
Information supplied by SCB (Statistics Sweden) and CSN (Swedish Board of Student Aid) indicate that student achievements have not deteriorated over the years. This study suggests both that the requirements have been reduced and that educational methods have improved.

The primary challenges for higher education currently include:

  • Coping with increasingly heterogeneous student groups, without adapting teaching to the lowest level
  • Lifting students from a lower level in knowledge terms to a fully satisfactory academic level
 
This calls for:
  • Changes in teaching and examination methods
  • Pedagogic and strategic management at the higher education institution level
  • Effective student support
  • Quality assurance at the national and institution level.
Last updated: 2010-06-21
Contact: Anna Ahlm, Email: firstname.lastname@hsv.se
Swedish National Agency for Higher Education  Visting address: Luntmakargatan 13  Box 7851, 103 99 Stockholm
Phone: 08-563 085 00  Fax: 08-563 085 50  Email: hsv@hsv.se