Larger cohorts are now moving from secondary schools to universities. After years of intense competition for places at secondary schools, higher education is facing a new challenge: growing demand for university places. Anna Plechatá Krausová, Rector of NEWTON University, told TV Nova that private universities can respond to this growing demand more quickly thanks to their greater flexibility.
As many as 64,000 new students are expected to enter higher education this year. Applications are growing faster than the capacity of some universities, and the pressure is likely to increase further in the coming years as larger cohorts reach university age.
More students also mean higher costs. Universities need enough teaching staff, facilities and other resources to maintain the quality of education. Public universities are therefore calling for increased government funding.
According to Anna Plechatá Krausová, Chancellor of NEWTON University and Vice-Chair of the Chamber of Private Higher Education Institutions within the Czech Rectors’ Conference, private universities have an advantage in this respect. They can respond more flexibly to changes in demand and adjust their capacity accordingly.
“As private higher education institutions, we are generally well placed to respond to the increase in student numbers. We can react relatively quickly, both by expanding our capacity and, importantly, by being more selective,” said Anna Plechatá Krausová.
The issue of university capacity is about more than simply the number of available places. As demand for higher education continues to grow, universities will also need to focus on maintaining the quality of education while responding to the changing needs of students and the labour market.
