Hendrik Schirmer

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the digitalisation of higher education, presenting both opportunities and challenges. It acted as a universal catalyst for digitalization. This (forced) boost of digitalisation creates both: Possibilities for increased inclusion of underrepresented student groups in higher education on the one hand, and challenges with regards to an inflexible overreliance on digital formats for other student groups on the other hand. This report examines the interplay between institutional services, student needs, and study modes, aiming to understand their impact on satisfaction and success in higher education.

Onset of refractory ascites (RA) is the hallmark of end-stage liver disease. If liver transplantation (LTx) is not available and contraindications for a transjugular portosystemic shunt (TIPS) are present, repeated paracentesis remains the standard of care (SOC). Home-based, tunnelled peritoneal catheters (PeCa) have been suggested as an alternative treatment option. However, data on patients with liver cirrhosis are scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the safety of PeCa in these patients compared to SOC.

The EUROSTUDENT VII – Synopsis of Indicators is the central publication of the EUROSTUDENT project and the result of the collaboration of a European-wide network. It comprises data from student surveys conducted in 25 countries in the European Higher Education Area during the seventh round of the EUROSTUDENT project. Adopting a broad, comparative perspective, the EUROSTUDENT VII – Synopsis of Indicators provides information on students’ socio-economic and study-related backgrounds, their study conditions and experiences, including international mobility, and their living conditions. It aims to inspire policy debates on the topic of the social dimension and lay the ground for further research.

This Intelligence Brief takes a closer look at students’ health. Compared to the overall population of the same age, students less often perceive their health as good or very good. Logistic regression analyses with German student data show strong and negative relations between financial difficulties and students’ health perception. Additionally, a cross-country comparison with EUROSTUDENT data consistently shows comparatively large shares of impaired students among those with financial difficulties. The findings indicate that policy makers should pay special attention to both impaired and financially challenged students in order to ensure their successful higher education participation and prevent negative societal effects of poor health.

This publication presents indicators on the social dimension of higher education in the European Higher Education Area in four key areas: Demographics and social background of students, transition and access into higher education, students’ employment, and the financial situation of students. To what extent can students of different backgrounds be found within the higher education systems? How open and flexible are European higher education systems in providing access to students entering higher education at different points in their lives, and with different past experiences? What are the circumstances under which students pursue their studies and how do they make a living?