v AJ The thesis addresses funding of public universities in the Czech Republic. It describes, analyzes and assesses the current method of university funding from public and other resources and points out the most important issues in this area. A part of the study is devoted to the topic of introducing tuition fees as one of the possible methods of students' participation on the university's funding. The study provides arguments for and against such measure and proposes a solution on how to apply it in the Czech Republic. In relation to that, the focus is also posed on financial aid to students, specifically student savings for education and student loans on tuition fees without which the introduction of such measure is difficult to imagine. Criteria which the system providing loans to students should account for are considered and further other possible alternatives of the system are introduced and assessed. The final section presents several possibilities from which public universities may obtain funding beyond the basic framework of the state budget.

The paper describes the exchange program in between the University of Wisconsin/ Milwaukee and the University of Potsdam in the field of economics. It discusses in detail the development of the program, including the problems and challenges. Additionally a brief description of the curriculum is presented. Then the future possibilities of the Transatlantic Degree Program (TDP) are discussed and the influences and problems of the Bologna process analysed.

This thesis deals with the situation in financing of tertiary education from both governmental and student perspective. Its objective is to find an efficient system of student support with focus on student loans that would be applicable in the Czech Republic, would promote an equal access to higher education also to students from lower socio-economic classes and at the same time would enable to increase cost-sharing in Czech tertiary education. The designed concept of student loans is based on best practices from selected European countries (Netherlands, United Kingdom and Hungary) in the background of proposed reform of Czech tertiary education. Finally, the concept is validated in a case study dealing with financing of the International Management master's programme at the University of Economics, Prague.

In 2011 Sweden introduced tuition fees for citizens of countries outside the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland, choosing to study at Swedish universities. The purpose of this thesis has been to explore how institutions of higher education in Sweden has adapted to this change by studying the case of Lund University. Within Lund University we have studied both centrally placed functions and functions at the Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Social Sciences, namely Graduate School. We have performed interviews with teachers as well as administrative staff on different levels. Our study is centred around organization pertaining to marketing and recruitment towards fee-paying students as well as services for fee-paying students during their time of study at Lund University. We have also been interested in finding out whether the relation between the university and the students has changed during the time passed and if there has been any adaptations of the offered education. Our study shows that the tuition fees contributed to a more focused attention on international marketing, the development of new practices within communication and service to international students and the creation of a wider range of international educational programmes. We have also found that administrative staff within the university, to a certain extent, think about students in terms of customers. / År 2011 infördes studieavgifter för studenter från tredjeland som valde att studera vid universitetet och högskolor Sverige. Syftet med denna uppsats har varit att utforska hur lärosäten i Sverige anpassat sig till denna förändring genom att studera fallet Lunds universitet. Inom Lunds universitet har vi studerat funktioner både centralt och på fakultetsnivå, vi har genomfört intervjuer med lärare samt med personer på olika nivåer inom administrationen. Vi har inkluderat både Lunds Tekniska Högskola, LTH, och Graduate School som driver ett antal internationella mastersprogram vid den Samhällsvetenskapliga fakulteten. I vår studie har vi fokuserat på̊ organisering som berör rekrytering av och marknadsföring mot betalande studenter till universitetet samt servicefunktioner riktade till betalande studenter under studietiden. Vi har även utforskat om relationen till studenterna har förändrats samt om det skett en anpassning av utbildningsutbudet. Vår studie visar att studieavgiftsreformen bidrog till ett ökat fokus på internationell marknadsföring och positionering, att nya praktiker inom kommunikation och service till internationella studenter utvecklats samt att antalet program med internationell rekrytering utökats. Studien visar även att tjänstemän inom universitetet i viss utsträckning tänker på studenter i termer av kunder.

The topic of my diploma thesis is a policy of cost- sharing in the Czech higer education system. Discussion of the cost- sharing policy implementation in the Czech higer education system has taken place for almost twenty years. Yet no form of tutition fees at higer education institutions was introduced. The cost- sharing seems to be a controversial element in the effort to reform the system of Czech higher education financing. The Czech higher education system needs a reform. There are many problems: worsening financial situation of higher education institution, a low efficiency of the system, inequitable access to higher education etc. Policy making is a complex process, which comprise of many factors. In this process, stakeholders plays a very important role. Stakeholders are those, who are interested in the policy or those who are influenced by it. In my thesis I want to clarify a dispute about the policy of cost- sharing in the Czech higher education. To reach this goal, I try to describe the attitudes of higher education policy stakeholders to the cost- sharing in the period of 1992- 2012.

This thesis presents three empirical analyses in the economics of Higher Education within the United Kingdom. The first analysis evaluates the impact of student funding reforms on participation and course choice, through the use of a difference-in-differences strategy with heterogeneous treatment effects. The results show that students who received the largest increase in study costs were less likely to move further away and also more likely to study a subject with lower graduate wage premia due to the significant reduction in the risk of investing in higher education. Students who received the largest increase in up-front financial support were more likely to attend a university further away. The second question addresses whether undergraduate subject choice is affected by changes in the expected benefits and opportunity costs of investing in HE through variation in the labour market. Students who reside in areas of high unemployment are found to be less likely to choose subjects with the largest graduate wage and employment premia. This suggests that students may be afraid of failure in challenging labour markets and instead choose to study subjects with a greater chance of success. However, lower socioeconomic status students are more likely to study subjects with the highest graduate wage and employment premia. This suggests that the students who may be the most aware of the costs, are also the most aware of the benefits. Finally, the third analysis investigates whether students who are socioeconomically disadvantaged incur a further penalty in terms of degree attainment. The results show that the most disadvantaged students outperform their advantaged counterparts. This may be due to pre-university attainment being an imperfect measure of ability in the most disadvantaged students, or that students who have had to overcome the most challenges to attend university are better-equipped and more determined to succeed.

The topic of this master thesis is focused on the financing of the tertiary education. Tertiary education is considered to be one of the best investments. This has resulted in a growing demand for it across the whole society. This is one of the reasons why the theme of financing of the tertiary education is often discussed. The main goal of this master thesis is to analyze opinions of the university students on various forms of tuition fees at public universities. The thesis is divided into two essentials parts - a theoretical and practical one. The theoretical part defines the Czech educational system, expose its weaknesses and trends, then describes the system of financing of tertiary education. The practical part is implemented to achieve the objectives of the thesis and it is focused on empirical research. The conclusion summarizes the results that were achieved during the processing of this thesis.

Topic of the thesis is the duration of studies at universities in the Czech Republic and the effect of fees for excessive study duration on the duration of studies. It focuses on undergraduate programs at public universities, for which the fees are applicable. Author exploits data from the national student register and data on the amount of fees from most Czech universities to build a regression model. Awareness of students on the fees policy was determined by questionnaire for participants of a widely used admission test (National Comparative Test Scio). It has been found, that at the average, 41% of students extended nominal length of study program before completing it, with highest share observed in humanities. About 10% of students extended the nominal length of study by more than one year. Fees apply to one-fifth of the students, half of them because their unsuccessful studies had been attributed to their actual length of study. The results show that time to degree is only insignificantly related to the potential amount of the fee; only in the case of students of one public university we have found mild relationship and CZK 1,000 fee increase should shorten time to degree by 6 days. Influence on the length of unsuccessful studies is more pronounced and represents 10 to 90 days per CZK 1,000. Low effect...

Cette étude cherche à clarifier les trajectoires de l’intégration des immigrants iraniens travaillant comme chauffeurs de taxi à Montréal. En effet, les conclusions de certaines études portant sur l’amélioration de l’insertion professionnelle des immigrants à moyen et à long terme étaient en opposition avec l’état actuel d’immigrants qualifiés travaillant toujours dans l’industrie du taxi après cinq, dix, quinze ans ou même plus après leur arrivée, bien que plusieurs avaient déjà une formation universitaire avant leur arrivé au Canada. Effectuée dans le cadre des études sur l’intégration des immigrants en général et en particulier au Canada et au Québec, cette recherche fait ressortir des résultats plus larges que les expériences de ce groupe après son arrivée dans le pays d’accueil en incluant les attentes et les motifs avant le départ. L’utilisation d’une démarche plutôt qualitative à partir des expériences et des trajectoires d’environ une quarantaine de chauffeurs de taxi travaillant dans une société de taxi montréalaise dont la majorité des travailleurs sont iraniens a permis de dépasser les difficultés liées à l’étude de ce groupe ainsi que d’en approfondir la connaissance. Cette étude se divise en deux parties. La première familiarise le lecteur avec l’histoire de l’immigration et celle des Iraniens au Canada ainsi qu’avec le cadre conceptuel et l’approche méthodologique de cette recherche. La deuxième partie, présentant les résultats, révèle le fait que plusieurs dans ce groupe d’immigrants n’ont pas eu accès aux droits de scolarité réduits offerts aux résidents québécois avant la régularisation de leur demande d’asile, ce qui a eu pour résultat de freiner leur grand désir de poursuivre des études au Canada. Ce blocage les a confinés dans des emplois de bas niveaux. Les cours peu avancés de français offerts aux immigrants n’ont pas pu les préparer à accéder aux bons emplois. Également, ce groupe a rejeté l’aide des agents d’emploi à cause des bas niveaux d’emplois que ceux-ci offraient. Alors que les périodes de chômage ont pu encourager certains à poursuivre leurs études, la discrimination après le 11 septembre 2001 a barré leur accès aux emplois qualifiés. La communauté iranienne n’a pas contribué à l’accès de ses membres aux emplois qualifiés à cause de son émergence récente au Canada. Ainsi, pour certains, le partenariat avec des compatriotes qu’ils connaissaient à peine et non experts dans la création d’entreprises, qui de plus ne se préoccupaient pas des exigences du métier, a abouti à leur fermeture. La comparaison entre les emplois déjà occupés et les avantages matériels et non matériels du taxi a mené ce groupe à recourir à ce métier. Pourtant, ses désavantages ont causé le départ non réfléchi de certains du Québec, mais ils sont revenus par la suite. Les traits culturels de ce groupe dans une société ethnique de taxi bien réglementée ont permis d’améliorer le fonctionnement de cette société. Enfin, malgré le désir de bon nombre de ces immigrants de changer d’emploi, l’analyse suggère que la probabilité reste, pour la majorité, peu élevée. / This study examines the integration trajectories of Iranian immigrants working as taxi drivers in Montreal, Canada. Participants in this study were still working as taxi drivers after five, ten and fifteen years or more after their arrival, although some had a university degree. Thus, the conclusions of this study differ from the results of other studies in the degree of success immigrants achieve in terms of professional insertion in the medium to long term. This research emerged from a review of studies which focused on issues related to the integration of immigrants, specifically in Canada and Quebec. This paper presents broader results by recording, reporting, and investigating participant expectations and motivations prior to departure, and their experiences and motivations after their arrival in the country of reception. Using a qualitative methodology, data was collected on the life-experiences and the professional trajectories of forty immigrants working as drivers at a Montreal taxi company. The majority of the subjects were Iranian, which removed potential difficulties in the research process, and allowed the researcher to explore specific issues in greater depth. The first part of this study aims to familiarize the reader with an overview of the history of immigration in Canada, and more specifically the history of Iranian immigration patterns in Canada, and to present the conceptual framework and methodological approach used in this research. The second part documents the participants’ stories and discusses the findings. After being denied access to subsidized post-secondary education, and after trying a number of low-level jobs, participants identified taxi driving as most advantageous in terms of income and working conditions. The discussion of the results reveals a number of key phenomena that directly contribute to the low success rate of professional integration of Iranian immigrants into the Quebec economy. These phenomena include an initial lack of access to subsidized, post-secondary education for asylum seekers prior to the granting of permanent status in Canada; the inadequate level of French language preparation through government funded courses; the inadequacy of public job-seeking agencies to advertise anything other than low-level jobs; subtle post 9/11 discrimination in the employment market, and the inability of the relatively new Iranian community in Canada to provide social and professional support and resources to new immigrants as they seek appropriate professional employment. A number of participants formed business partnerships with other Iranian immigrants. However, these partnerships were between partners who barely knew each other, and in every case, a lack of technical expertise and business know-how led to the collapse of the businesses. Frustration with their ongoing low level of professional integration in Quebec led a number of participants to leave Quebec in search of greater professional satisfaction. These decisions were often made without considering the realities of the move and with little or no forethought to integrating into another new environment. As a result, all of the participants who left Quebec have since returned. While other studies have been critical of the cultural and work behaviours of Iranian immigrants, this study has found that these same characteristics, when observed within the parameters of a well managed work environment, have had a positive impact on the performance and functioning of the Montreal taxi company. While it remained the wish of the majority of the participants in this study to find more satisfying, professional employment, in the final analysis, the findings of this study suggest that under the current conditions, the majority of these participants will continue to drive taxis.

Cette étude cherche à clarifier les trajectoires de l’intégration des immigrants iraniens travaillant comme chauffeurs de taxi à Montréal. En effet, les conclusions de certaines études portant sur l’amélioration de l’insertion professionnelle des immigrants à moyen et à long terme étaient en opposition avec l’état actuel d’immigrants qualifiés travaillant toujours dans l’industrie du taxi après cinq, dix, quinze ans ou même plus après leur arrivée, bien que plusieurs avaient déjà une formation universitaire avant leur arrivé au Canada. Effectuée dans le cadre des études sur l’intégration des immigrants en général et en particulier au Canada et au Québec, cette recherche fait ressortir des résultats plus larges que les expériences de ce groupe après son arrivée dans le pays d’accueil en incluant les attentes et les motifs avant le départ. L’utilisation d’une démarche plutôt qualitative à partir des expériences et des trajectoires d’environ une quarantaine de chauffeurs de taxi travaillant dans une société de taxi montréalaise dont la majorité des travailleurs sont iraniens a permis de dépasser les difficultés liées à l’étude de ce groupe ainsi que d’en approfondir la connaissance. Cette étude se divise en deux parties. La première familiarise le lecteur avec l’histoire de l’immigration et celle des Iraniens au Canada ainsi qu’avec le cadre conceptuel et l’approche méthodologique de cette recherche. La deuxième partie, présentant les résultats, révèle le fait que plusieurs dans ce groupe d’immigrants n’ont pas eu accès aux droits de scolarité réduits offerts aux résidents québécois avant la régularisation de leur demande d’asile, ce qui a eu pour résultat de freiner leur grand désir de poursuivre des études au Canada. Ce blocage les a confinés dans des emplois de bas niveaux. Les cours peu avancés de français offerts aux immigrants n’ont pas pu les préparer à accéder aux bons emplois. Également, ce groupe a rejeté l’aide des agents d’emploi à cause des bas niveaux d’emplois que ceux-ci offraient. Alors que les périodes de chômage ont pu encourager certains à poursuivre leurs études, la discrimination après le 11 septembre 2001 a barré leur accès aux emplois qualifiés. La communauté iranienne n’a pas contribué à l’accès de ses membres aux emplois qualifiés à cause de son émergence récente au Canada. Ainsi, pour certains, le partenariat avec des compatriotes qu’ils connaissaient à peine et non experts dans la création d’entreprises, qui de plus ne se préoccupaient pas des exigences du métier, a abouti à leur fermeture. La comparaison entre les emplois déjà occupés et les avantages matériels et non matériels du taxi a mené ce groupe à recourir à ce métier. Pourtant, ses désavantages ont causé le départ non réfléchi de certains du Québec, mais ils sont revenus par la suite. Les traits culturels de ce groupe dans une société ethnique de taxi bien réglementée ont permis d’améliorer le fonctionnement de cette société. Enfin, malgré le désir de bon nombre de ces immigrants de changer d’emploi, l’analyse suggère que la probabilité reste, pour la majorité, peu élevée. / This study examines the integration trajectories of Iranian immigrants working as taxi drivers in Montreal, Canada. Participants in this study were still working as taxi drivers after five, ten and fifteen years or more after their arrival, although some had a university degree. Thus, the conclusions of this study differ from the results of other studies in the degree of success immigrants achieve in terms of professional insertion in the medium to long term. This research emerged from a review of studies which focused on issues related to the integration of immigrants, specifically in Canada and Quebec. This paper presents broader results by recording, reporting, and investigating participant expectations and motivations prior to departure, and their experiences and motivations after their arrival in the country of reception. Using a qualitative methodology, data was collected on the life-experiences and the professional trajectories of forty immigrants working as drivers at a Montreal taxi company. The majority of the subjects were Iranian, which removed potential difficulties in the research process, and allowed the researcher to explore specific issues in greater depth. The first part of this study aims to familiarize the reader with an overview of the history of immigration in Canada, and more specifically the history of Iranian immigration patterns in Canada, and to present the conceptual framework and methodological approach used in this research. The second part documents the participants’ stories and discusses the findings. After being denied access to subsidized post-secondary education, and after trying a number of low-level jobs, participants identified taxi driving as most advantageous in terms of income and working conditions. The discussion of the results reveals a number of key phenomena that directly contribute to the low success rate of professional integration of Iranian immigrants into the Quebec economy. These phenomena include an initial lack of access to subsidized, post-secondary education for asylum seekers prior to the granting of permanent status in Canada; the inadequate level of French language preparation through government funded courses; the inadequacy of public job-seeking agencies to advertise anything other than low-level jobs; subtle post 9/11 discrimination in the employment market, and the inability of the relatively new Iranian community in Canada to provide social and professional support and resources to new immigrants as they seek appropriate professional employment. A number of participants formed business partnerships with other Iranian immigrants. However, these partnerships were between partners who barely knew each other, and in every case, a lack of technical expertise and business know-how led to the collapse of the businesses. Frustration with their ongoing low level of professional integration in Quebec led a number of participants to leave Quebec in search of greater professional satisfaction. These decisions were often made without considering the realities of the move and with little or no forethought to integrating into another new environment. As a result, all of the participants who left Quebec have since returned. While other studies have been critical of the cultural and work behaviours of Iranian immigrants, this study has found that these same characteristics, when observed within the parameters of a well managed work environment, have had a positive impact on the performance and functioning of the Montreal taxi company. While it remained the wish of the majority of the participants in this study to find more satisfying, professional employment, in the final analysis, the findings of this study suggest that under the current conditions, the majority of these participants will continue to drive taxis.