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2006:20 R

An account of foundation year programmes, spring 2006

The National Agency for Higher Education has been asked by the Government to present an overall account based on the annual reports of the higher education institutions of those that offer what are known as foundation year programmes. During the academic year 2004/05 the number of students taking foundation year programmes (3,648) was somewhat higher than in the preceding year (3,569). Up until 1998/99 there was a slight majority of women in foundation year programmes. Since then there has been a shift in the ratio of women and men and today there are more men taking foundation year programmes than women. During the academic year 2004/05 41 per cent were women.

Foundation year programmes of some kind were arranged at 26 higher education institutions during 2004/05. Foundation year programmes focus most frequently on engineering or are “open" natural sciences/technological programmes in which students can opt to specialise as they progress. Programmes in these areas have also attracted most students. Foundation year programmes offering preparation for teacher training programmes or dentistry and medicine are less common. The foundation year programme for dentistry/medicine has also been very restricted in extent.

Changes in the regulations that came into effect on January 1, 2003 mean that higher education institutions are entitled to arrange foundation year programmes in subjects other than the natural sciences/technology, provided that there is a shortage of eligible applicants and labour market needs for the skills involved. However foundation years in subjects other than the natural sciences/technology are not offered to any great extent. Individual courses that provide eligibility qualifications are offered in programmes at three higher education institutions.

The prior knowledge of students in foundation year programmes varies to an increasing extent. A number of higher education institutions therefore arrange shorter “foundation semesters" and some offer foundation courses that are integrated into degree programmes. These are provided for students who partially fulfil the eligibility requirements. One effect of these initiatives is that students are more rapidly fed into the programmes for which the foundation year offers preparation. Some higher education institutions offer entire foundation year programmes or parts of them in the form of distance teaching.

The proportion of students who proceed to higher education after a foundation year programme is 63 per cent, which is 5 percentage points lower than in the preceding year. Fewer students have opted for diploma or bachelor´s programmes in engineering than in the year before (21 per cent in the academic year 2003/04, 16 per cent 2004/05). There is a somewhat higher transfer rate to higher education for men than for women. Men choose master´s programmes in engineering, engineering programmes and other technological programmes to a greater extent than women. A larger proportion of women opt for programmes outside the fields of technology and the natural sciences after completing a foundation year programme. However, more women than men tend to choose programmes in the natural sciences proper.

Swedish National Agency for Higher Education  Visting address: Luntmakargatan 13  Box 7851, 103 99 Stockholm
Phone: 08-563 085 00  Fax: 08-563 085 50  Email: hsv@hsv.se