Commercialization of higher education: social impact and value dimensions

Abstract

It needs for special analysis of the features of university’s functioning in the new socio-economic conditions, especially the transition of the educational system to a market economy, development of market of «educational services», desire of universities to have a profit from their own activities, etc. Despite the fact that these changes have been lasted for more than twenty years, so far in the public mind wasn’t formed a clear understanding of the changes that have arisen as a result of transferring education in the service sector, which is governed by the rules of the market. Still remains poorly understood the specificity of introduction of market relations into education, social impact and value changes that led to the commercialization of education. It’s found that the problem of commercialization of higher education is mainly reduced to the problem of compensation of insufficient budgetary financing costs by the costs of consumers interested in such kind of service. Special attention is paid to the social consequences of development and accessibility of education in the face of rising prices for educational services and reduction of the number of budget places in universities; and also the formation in the public mind false-education values, formal relationship to education and knowledge.