Introduces this topical issue on costs in higher education with an overview of the economics of higher education. Considers various types of supplier costs (opportunity versus accounting costs), various ways of determining costs (cost accounting, statistical estimation, and modeling), and factors that influence supplier costs (environmental…

Studies on the economics of education in the course of the last ten years, in France and elsewhere, fall into 3 categories which correspond to 3 levels of elaboration of a new ideology of education, the origin of which is also found in the sociological approach upon which the modern economics of education is based. (Authors)

Estimating increased access provided by higher education institutions is an important policy issue. This paper presents a mathematical model of enrollment demand to help policymakers understand potential attendees' decision making process. In this model, about 20 percent of students attending a new school would not have attended an existing…

Discusses the recent panic in Great Britain concerning university applications and enrollments. (PG)

A system of elements for matching the supply and demand for workers from higher education is outlined. A portion of the system is exercised to obtain a provisional evaluation of supply and demand levels under assumptions of increased educational upgrading and industrial growth for the Southern region. (Editor/PG)

A discussion of portfolio analysis in college planning, a technique of determining the attractiveness and competitiveness of given academic courses, looks at the correctness of the technique and its application in the strategic planning process. Data from a British university illustrate the procedure. (MSE)

Colleges and universities must recognize that they exist in a competitive environment and view strategic planning as pivotal in the management of change, of their competitive positions within the education industry, and of resources. Higher education's new competitive aspects lend themselves to strategic planning models useful in business. (MSE)

A study of the attitudes of institutional and state level postsecondary education leaders in Oregon toward competition among institutions and state regulation of competition is reported, and a framework for examining postsecondary education regulation in general is provided. (MSE)

Both financial and nonfinancial costs of education, such as time, effort, risk, and social and psychological perceptions are considered as influences on consumer behavior and as elements that an institution can manage in its efforts to maintain or change its position in the market. (MSE)

Attempts to explore the fiscal relationships underlying the provision of elementary and secondary public education by introducing a simultaneous equation model. The model is essentially a demand and supply equation system for public expenditures on education. It represents a preliminary attempt at providing predictive insight and understanding…

Proposes a framework for analyzing education policy from an economic perspective. The framework takes into account educational supply and demand, structure of the education system, economic effects, and their interrelations. Discusses key economic issues in the analysis of education policy. (EV)

Pointing out that "trend-demographic" enrollment projections ignore important economic considerations (supply and demand), the author uses a model of educational adaptation, which focuses on the educational characteristics of the active adult population and the wage of educated relative to uneducated labor, to make projections that are compared…

The author observes that when, as now, there are more college seats available than students to fill them, the schools respond to the market and not to true educational needs or to school philosophy. He argues that practices appropriate in commerce are harmful in education and calls for planning and controlled growth. (JT)

Changes that are likely to affect higher education in the near future have major implications for institutional management, governance, and leadership. Ten forecasted changes are discussed regarding: enrollment, demand, income, work-learning integration, outcomes, general education, continuing education, and costs. (LBH)

The author applies the principles of social cost-benefit analysis to the recurrent education model and contrasts it with the conventional "apprenticeship" or "front-end" model of provision. Consideration is given to the implications of redistributing education and training over the lifespan of the individual, and of utilizing…