Strengthening Consumer Choice in Higher Education

This chapter is concerned with the topic of student choice in higher education. In particular it focuses on ways of strengthening students' market power and giving more scope for students to have their interests served by the providers of higher education. This topic receives a lot of attention in many societies these days because it is felt that a system that relies heavily on central planning is unable to respond to the needs of an increasingly diverse student clientele. It is generally believed that consumers are better equipped than ever to make their own choices; increasingly consumers possess the wealth, means and skills to make choices that affect their personal wellbeing. To this end many governments have in fact liberalised a large number of the markets that were previously regulated and protected by government. Examples are public utility sectors, telecommunication, electricity, etc.