Researching the Impact of the Economic Crisis on Student Life in Greece

Maria Kouroutsidou, Nikolaos Raptis, Konstantinos Karampelas

Abstract


The present work explores the views of students in Greek Universities who have been impacted by the economic crisis in Greece since 2009. In the theoretical part, the economic crisis is considered a violent change that tends to be incorporated permanently into socio-economic life, affecting public expenditure in tertiary education as well as family income and expenditure. These developments harm university studies, student life, and expectations of graduates for their future. The theoretical part ends with the formulation of three research axes about the extent to which the economic crisis affects (a) the socio-economic environment and family spending, (b) students’ life at the university, and (c) students’ perception of their future. In the empirical part, a series of questions along these axes are investigated quantitatively, through descriptive statistics using a questionnaire specially constructed for this research, which addressed to students. The sample comprised 300 university students. Their views seem to primarily support the hypothesis of the negative impacts of the economic crisis on families, studies, and expectations. The study ends with suggestions for further research. 

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.19.7.8


Keywords


Economic Crisis; Student Life; University; Greece

Full Text:

PDF

References


Altbach, P. G., Reisberg, L., & Rumbley, L. E. (2009). Trends in global higher education: Tracking an academic revolution. SIDA/SAREC.

Altundemir, M. E. (2012). The impact of the financial crisis on American public universities. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 3(8), 190–198.

Azaria, A., Karavasilis, G., Kehris, E., & Vrana, V. (2020). The impact of the financial crisis on university students in Greece. South-Eastern Europe Journal of Economics, 17(2), 193–219.

Becker, G. (1993). Human capital: A theoretical and empirical analysis, with special reference to education (3rd ed.). The University of Chicago Press.

Behnam, B., Paknazar, F., Mirmohammadkhani, M., Akhbari, M., Hoseini, S. M., & Sabahi, P. (2020). Personal, familial and social factors associated with academic failure in university students: A case-control study in Iran. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 19(3), 36–47. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.19.3.3

Berry, S. (2002). Does education matter? Myths about education and economic growth, by Alison Wolf. A book review. The Economics of Education. Retrieved from http://www.la-articles.org.uk/eoe.htm

Christopherson, S., Gertler, M., & Gray, M. (2014). Universities in crisis. Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 7(2), 209–215. https://doi.org/10.1093/cjres/rsu006

Chryssochoou, X., Papastamou, S., & Prodromitis, G. (2013). Facing the economic crisis in Greece: The effects of grievances, real and perceived vulnerability, and emotions towards the crisis on reactions to austerity measures. JSSE - Journal of Social Science Education, 1–2013: Youth Civic & Political Participation & Citizenship Education in the Mediterranean: Lessons from the Arab Spring. https://doi.org/10.4119/JSSE-633

Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2013). Research methods in education (7th ed.). Routledge.

Coleman, R., & Bekhradnia, B. (2014). Higher education supply and demand to 2020. HEPI. Retrieved from http://www.hepi.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/1.2010-demand-report-master.pdf

Daim, T. U., & Ozdemir, D. (2015). Impact of US economic crises on university research and development investments. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 6(1), 13–27. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-012-0135-2

EUA. (2011). Impact of the economic crisis on European universities. Retrieved from https://eua.eu/downloads/publications/impact%20of%20the%20economic%20crisis%20on%20european%20universities%20january%202011.pdf

Fragoudaki, A. (1985). Educational sociology. Theories of social inequality in school. Papazisis Publications.

Fullan, M. (2001). The new meaning of educational change (3rd ed.). Teacher’s College Press.

Gouvias, D. (2012). Accountability in the Greek higher education system as a high-stake policymaking instrument. Higher Education Policy, 25(1), 65–86. https://doi.org/10.1057/hep.2011.23

Hasanen, K. (2020). “Glocal†transnational higher education: A case study of a Finnish-Vietnamese collaboration. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 19(2), 305–317. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.19.2.19

IOVE. (2017). Higher education in Greece. Challenges and side-effects of the crisis. Retrieved from http://iobe.gr/docs/research/RES_05_F_05072017_REP_GR.pdf

Katsikas, E., (2013). The impact of students’ working status on academic progress: Assessing the implications of policy change in Greece. Journal of Education and Work, 26(5), 539–569. https://doi.org/10.1080/13639080.2012.691606

Kazamias, A., Zambeta, E., & Karadjia, E. (2002). Greece: Educational Reform 2000 – Toward a Paideia of open orizons – The modern Greek Sisyphus. In S. Linblad & T. S. Popkewitz (Eds.), Education governance and social integration and exclusion: Studies in the powers of reason and the reasons of power (pp. 165–203). Uppsala Reports on Education 39, Uppsala University.

Martin, M., & Sauvageot, C. (2011). Constructing an indicator system or scorecard for higher education. A practical guide. UNESCO. Retrieved from http://uis.unesco.org/sites/default/files/documents/constructing-an-indicator-system-or-scorecard-for-higher-education-a-practical-guide-2011-en.pdf

Megaloeconomou, R. (2015, August 4). How the economic crisis is affecting higher education in Greece. World Economic Forum. Retrieved from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/08/how-the-economic-crisis-is-affecting-higher-education-in-greece/

Oxford University. (2015). International trends in higher education 2015. Retrieved from https://www.ox.ac.uk/sites/files/oxford/International%20Trends%20in%20Higher%20Education%202015.pdf

Papastamou, A. (2016). Universities against the international crisis. Science and Society: Review of Political and Ethical Theory, 23, 155. https://doi.org/10.12681/sas.10327

Pesmatzoglou, S. (1989). Education and development in Greece 1948–1985. The inconsistency of a relationship. Themelio.

Petmezidou-Tsoulouvi, M. (1987). Social classes and social reproduction mechanics. Sextant.

Sianou-Kyrgiou, E. (2010). Stratification in higher education, choice and social inequalities in Greece. Higher Education Quarterly, 64(1), 22–40. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2273.2009.00427.x

Sklavos, D. (2015). The impact of economic crisis and formal education in Greece. Economic crisis and formal education in Greece (2015-02-05) [Master’s Thesis, University of Patras]. NEMERTES Database. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10889/8296

Skrbinjek, V., Å uÅ¡terÅ¡iÄ, J., & Lesjak, D. (2018). Political preferences and public funding of tertiary education during the economic crisis. Tertiary Education and Management, 24(2), 168–186. https://doi.org/10.1080/13583883.2017.1407958

Sointu, E., Hirsto, L., & Murtonen, M. (2019). Editorial transforming higher education teaching and learning environments – Introduction to the special issue. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 18(13), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.18.13.1

Tsikalaki, I., & Kladi-Kokkinou, M. (2016). Economic crisis and social inequalities in education: Candidates’ educational choices for higher education. Academia – A publication of the Higher Education Policy Network, 7, 34-82. Retrieved from https://academia.lis.upatras.gr/academia/article/view/2704/2963

UNESCO. (2009). Global Education Digest 2009. Comparing education statistics across the world. UNESCO Institute of Statistics. Retrieved from http://uis.unesco.org/sites/default/files/documents/global-education-digest-2009-comparing-education-statistics-across-the-world-en_0.pdf

Wolf, Α. (2002). Does education matter? Myths about education and economic growth. Penguin Books Limited.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


e-ISSN: 1694-2116

p-ISSN: 1694-2493