Didžiosios Britanijos aukštojo mokslo kaita XX–XXI a.
Higher Education Changes in Great Britain in XX–XXI centuries

Summary/Abstract: The article reveals development and essentiale changes of higher education in Great Britainin XX–XXI centuries.During last century Great Britain higher education system has changed dramatically – fromelite higher education in the begining of XX century, which was available for very small part ofsociety, to mass higher education with variety of institutions and education programs. Nowadaysthere is almost half of Great Britain population (of certain age group) obtaining higher educationcertificate or diploma.The junction of XX and XXI centuries was signed with significant shift in the gender structerof higher education studients: more women obtained first university degree than men. Ten yearslater the same was recorded in higer degrees.The intense change of Great Britain higher education from elite to mass inevitably influencedthe higher education finance sector. Great Britain used to cover all expences of higher educationfrom the budget. However, the financial crises occured in the last decade of XX century, and thegovernment was forced to seek for new financing models of higer education. First time in GreatBritain higher education history the tuition fee was introduced. Striving to ensure the highereducation accessibility for all social groups in Great Britain, the tuition fees were complementedwith the grants and loans with special repayment (or without) conditions. Nevertheless, thefinancial reform, started in 1998, already was changed several times and has raised lots of critics.Along with the financial reform Great Britain deals with the higher education quality issues.There was no essential discusions about higher education quality in the begining of the XX centuryas it was elite higer education. Moving to the mass higher education with variety of institutionsand dramatically growing student number, the quality question becomes relevant. Despite theowning the largest number of world wide level elite universities in Europe, Great Britain seeksto ensure the quality in all higher education institutions in the country. Therefore the QualityAssurance Agency for Higher Education was established. The Agency puts students and the publicinterest at the centre of everything they do. Great Britain higher education quality policy isimplemented basing on the Quality Code for Higher Education.

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