Press release
For release 12.9.
A new survey by SYL and the Research Foundation for Studies and Education Otus sheds light on the reasons why students acquire multiple rights to study. The survey is called Monta opinto-oikeutta – Tutkimus useamman opinto-oikeuden hankkimiseen johtaneista syistä ja tekijöistä (Multiple rights to study – A survey of the reasons and factors behind acquiring more than one right to study).
The survey at last explains why students acquire multiple rights to study. It provides new information about a topic that has hardly been studied. We already know that 27 per cent of those who begin their studies at the university have completed some higher education courses. At the same time, we are familiar with the many problems of higher education student admissions and the backlog of applicants at the universities.
The survey helps to answer the question of why students consider multiple degrees or studies to be important and what leads them to acquire a second or multiple rights to study.
The opportunity to update and widen one’s competencies by completing higher education studies is also part of lifelong learning. When it comes to the topical issue of continuous learning, we need to consider how we can make it possible for people to complete a second degree without it affecting the number of student places available for first-time applicants.
The survey shows that the main reasons for students having multiple rights to study are not only structural factors relating to education and labour policy but also social reasons. Therefore, it is unnecessary to make students feel guilty about their choices. The results of this survey show that forcefully restricting multiple rights to study does not seem to be a very wise decision, much less a very practical solution.
More information:
Education Policy Adviser Jani Kykkänen
The National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL)
+358 41 515 2230
jani.kykkanen@syl.fi
