Response to interpellation 2024/25:109 on campus-based education
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
The debate concerns campus-based education and skills supply. L argues that a well-functioning skills supply is crucial for Sweden's development 1 and that distance education and decentralized environments are important for adults 2. L believes that the government does not intend to reduce the state grant for learning centers 1, that the principle of half remaining is reasonable 3 and that it is good solidarity that those with high salaries contribute heavily to the common good 3. S believes that the government's support for learning centers has been reduced by virtually 50 percent and wants to double the investment. S argues that money can be found by not giving massive tax cuts to the very richest 4.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Utbildningsministern Johan Pehrson (L)
Madam Speaker! Niklas Sigvardsson has asked me if I intend to clarify the definition of the concept of campus-based education. Furthermore, the interpellator has asked me how I view the future of decentralized education and if I intend to take any actions based on my view on the matter. Niklas Sigvardsson has also asked me if the support for the development of learning centers will remain in the future.
For Sweden to stand strong towards the future and continue to develop as a knowledge nation, a well-functioning supply of skills throughout the country is crucial. Both the university colleges as well as universities and colleges have an important role when it comes to meeting the continued large skill requirements within the public sector and the business community. I welcome the cooperation that takes place today between educational institutions and municipalities, which makes higher education accessible in several places in the country.
The state grant for learning centers was introduced in 2018. The interest is great, and the demand from the municipalities is high. The establishment and development of learning centers is important to increase access to education throughout the country. Learning centers provide increased opportunities for adults to participate in education, which provides better conditions for throughput. This is stated by Skolverket in its evaluation of the state grant from 2020. It is therefore pleasing that the interest in the state grant for learning centers is so great in the municipalities.
The Government has allocated 50 million kronor for 2024 to the state grant for learning centers, which is important for increased access to education throughout the country. The state grant is expected to remain at this level permanently. The Government has no proposals aimed at reducing or abolishing the state grant.
During the years 2022-2030, 20 million kronor will also be invested in decentralized healthcare education. The purpose is to enable universities and colleges to conduct education programs that lead to employment in a shortage occupation within healthcare. This applies to several study locations in regions where there are specific challenges with competence supply in healthcare. This concerns, for example, rural areas and locations that are far from the educational institutions where current education programs are conducted. Several educational institutions have received funds for decentralized education. For example, Umeå University received approximately 8.8 million kronor for 2024 for such healthcare education, and the university already receives approximately 6.8 million kronor annually for decentralized medical education.
Campus education is a concept that appears in the official statistics. It is the expert authority, the Swedish Council for Higher Education, that is responsible for the official statistics within the higher education sector and thus also for the definition that covers campus-based education. The current definition of the concept campus education is that the education primarily takes place on-site in the university's or the college's premises.
The Swedish Council for Higher Education has recently published a proposal for a new definition referred to as place-based education, which according to the proposal shall come into effect in the autumn semester of 2026. According to the proposal, place-based education is defined as education where teachers and students primarily conduct teaching and examination on-site in the institution's premises or at other specified locations. I do not intend to take any initiatives to further clarify this concept.
Niklas Sigvardsson (S)
Madam Speaker! I would like to begin by thanking the Minister for Education for the answer to my interpellation on campus-based education and for the opportunity to discuss this important issue.
The question may be considered narrow and perhaps slightly detailed, but it is important when we try to ensure that the whole country has access to high-quality higher education, whether it is conducted on the institution's campus or through decentralized forms of education at any of the country's learning centers. It is actually a fundamental question for Sweden's long-term development as a knowledge nation.
Just as the Minister for Education said, the issue consists of three parts: the definition of campus-based education, the government's view on future decentralized education, and the support for learning centers.
I will begin with the definition of campus-based education. Our learning centers are currently developing a large part of their activities based on the fact that they see themselves as part of campuses all over our country. As the Minister for Education mentioned, UKÄ, that is the Swedish Council for Higher Education, is working on having the official statistics and definition. We view the changed definition, which speaks more about place-based teaching and education, positively because it widens the concept so that it does not only concern the institution's physical location – an institution can be physically active in several different areas.
I also want to emphasize the importance of that campus education at the higher education institution and the role of learning centers not being seen as opposites but as complements. Perhaps a national strategy or vision needs to be developed that encompasses both campus-based and decentralized education and that allows us to strengthen the competitiveness of higher education and in this way meet society's changing needs.
It is, after all, about people being able to access high-quality education regardless of where in Sweden they live. It should not only be about distance studies, but it should also actually be about learning centers and physical locations where one receives education. In my home county, Jönköpings län, such education is conducted in almost all areas. It is very important in municipalities such as Värnamo and Eksjö, which have decentralized nursing education, and in, for example, Vetlanda and Gislaved, which work extensively with the development of industry.
When it comes to decentralized education, it is not only the high-cost professions, as the minister mentioned, that are important. Many other shortage occupations are also significant for our country, and one can access decentralized education for these professions. For example, one can train to become a preschool teacher at various learning centers. We also work with different types of workshop industrial technology and the like, which are needed very much within the industry right now, despite the fact that unemployment is high.
In order to succeed with this, we need to take major initiatives from a national level. Therefore, it is interesting to let the Minister for Education continue to reflect on how campus-based or place-bound education, which is the new definition, can be developed. It is not just about us not reducing it or taking initiatives for such. The Minister for Education is welcome to continue with that in his next speech.
Utbildningsministern Johan Pehrson (L)
Madam Speaker! The presence of a learning center is important for both the region and the municipality as well as the local labor market, not least the industry, as the member mentioned. I truly agree with that. This applies not only to the important healthcare sector.
The reflection is that distance education and decentralized educational environments are important to enable further education and studies in combination with work and family life, not least in the middle of life. At the same time, it places high demands on the distance education. It must be of high quality, which implies requirements for both pedagogy and technical solutions. It takes time to learn to manage the administration and to grow into the physical space that the learning centers, or place-based education as it should be called in the future, constitute.
So far, there are too many who have not completed the training. The goal, however, is that those who apply and are admitted shall complete the training, and then it must function well. Not least, those who are responsible for the learning centers must ensure that administration and technology function well. Some of it does take place on screen, but as Minister for Education, I have no problem with that because this is about adult people.
Niklas Sigvardsson (S)
Madam Speaker! I thank the Minister for Education for the answer.
In his response to the interpellation, the Minister for Education mentioned the support of 50 million for 2024 for the development of learning centers. The support plays a crucial role in driving the development of learning centers and creating better throughput and a more inclusive education system. The demand for these funds is great, and there are many more municipalities applying for the support than receive it. The Minister says that there is no intention to reduce or abolish the support, which is positive. But it is a small consolation considering that the government has cut the support for learning centers by virtually 50 percent since they took over in 2022 - this in a time when unemployment has increased and we have a wave of unemployment and bankruptcies of the same magnitude as in the 90s. It is said that the support shall not be reduced or abolished, but it has already been reduced over the last two years. It is a poor education and labor market policy that hits hard against the learning centers that exist all around in our country.
Unfortunately, it is not just fewer people who get a share of the money. During 2024, no municipalities north of Borlänge and Sandviken will be able to receive the support, and our country extends quite a bit further than from Ystad to Borlänge. The Social Democrats therefore double the government's investment in their budget motion. We see it as crucial that it should not just be fine words about campus-based and decentralized education, but that the learning centers must be able to continue to develop and take steps forward to make education accessible for the many in our country who live far from locations with higher education institutions. The Minister for Education mentions professionals, and these must be able to participate not only in distance education but also in location-based education. There is something special about developing and learning together with others at a physical location. It is an important part of our view on knowledge. Therefore, as said, it is unfortunate that no municipality north of Borlänge and Sandviken receives the support for 2024.
When the Minister has clarified that it is important that there are learning centers throughout the country and that education is important in our entire country, not just in the southern parts and in places with higher education institutions, the Minister is welcome to answer whether we in future negotiations will see increased resources for learning centers. Will it be a priority for the Liberals to expand the opportunities for place-based education?
Utbildningsministern Johan Pehrson (L)
Madam Speaker! We are, of course, following this closely. The developments of recent years, not least due to the pandemic, have for some educational institutions entailed a large influx of distance students. It is pleasing and good that people feel a longing to strive, work hard, and obtain an education. But since we know that there have unfortunately been some quality problems and that the throughput has been poor, we need to look closely at how this functions. Let me continue to emphasize that we safeguard this opportunity but that we also set high requirements for quality.
The inflow increased, as said, during the pandemic. Now it is time for consolidation, and therefore we have retained a strong state support. It is, of course, possible to argue for an even larger state support, and in that case, one has to take it from somewhere else or raise some tax. It can usually always be solved. But raised taxes can have effects on the business sector which, among other things, Niklas Sigvardsson himself comes from. The economic margins in a recession are small, and tax increases on work and entrepreneurship can be troublesome. The companies I meet, also in Jönköping, often talk about the importance of bringing down inflation so that interest rates go down and the conditions improve for investments and not least production, because demand tends to increase.
We continue to follow this closely. Let us establish that the government is making major investments in the educational institutions located north of the Dalälven. It concerns, as said, 3.7 billion next year, and that is sufficient for very many program courses and also distance education.
Niklas Sigvardsson (S)
Madam Speaker! I think the Minister's answer is drifting a bit. The debate is not about distance learning. Decentralized education in this form is about place-based education together with others, not distance learning in solitude in front of a screen.
The Minister speaks about priorities. We Social Democrats can find 50 million in our budget alternative because we do not give massive tax cuts to the very richest. In my hometown of Gislaved in Jönköping County, not even 1 percent of the population will benefit from the tax cuts for the very richest. It is quite easy to find room in the budget when one uses borrowed funds. Instead, one should prioritize long-term opportunities for people to participate in education.
This is what it is about. The learning centers will continue to play a crucial role. We share the government's view that education is important to strengthen Sweden as a knowledge nation and to strengthen Sweden's competitiveness against other countries. We must, however, ensure that education reaches all people throughout our country, not just be concentrated in locations with educational institutions. Education should be provided close to the people who must transition in the middle of life in order to be able to take the jobs of the future.
We will continue to debate this in the chamber, because it is crucial for Sweden to stand strong in the future, both as a nation and regarding all the individuals who wish to educate themselves all around our country.
Utbildningsministern Johan Pehrson (L)
Madam Speaker! It is correct, but if we are to be honest, even large-scale investments do not guarantee that place-based education will be able to exist exactly everywhere. That is why I also highlight the importance of distance education and hybrids. One must ensure that there is a good connection to the nearest college or university to secure the quality; it is absolutely crucial.
If there are to be jobs for the people who educate themselves in the future in a difficult time, the government has a firm view regarding, for example, high taxes on education. I mean that half remaining is a reasonable principle, which many Social Democrats before Niklas Sigvardsson on the Social Democrats' bench here in the Riksdag have also argued for and voted for. It has been said that it has been important to encourage education, higher education, and investments in Sweden so that people want to develop themselves and their companies.
One must remember that if you say half remains, it means that the other half goes to tax. The more people who have that education and background and that entrepreneurship that leads to one receiving a relatively high salary, the more strongly one contributes to the common good with the other half. I call that good solidarity.
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.