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Individual policy preferences for vocational versus academic education: Microlevel evidence for the case of Switzerland

Author

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  • Marius R. Busemeyer

    (Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany)

  • Maria Alejandra Cattaneo

    (Swiss Coordination Centre for Research in Education (SKBF-CSRE), Aarau, Switzerland)

  • Stefan C. Wolter

    (University of Bern, Centre for Research in Economics of Education and Swiss Coordination Centre for Research in Education (SKBF-CSRE), Aarau, Switzerland, and CESifo & IZA)

Abstract

This paper uses an original dataset from a survey conducted in Switzerland in 2007 to explore the dynamics of education policy preferences. This issue has largely been neglected in that most studies on welfare state attitudes do not look at preferences for education. We argue that education policy preferences vary along two dimensions: the distribution of resources across different sectors of the education system (that is, vocational training versus academic education) and the level of investment in education both from public and private sources. With regard to the former, the findings suggest that individual educational experience matters most, that is, individuals prefer to concentrate resources on those educational sectors that are closest to their own educational background. With regard to the latter, we find that affiliation to partisan ideologies matters much more than other variables. Proponents of the left demand more investment both from the state as well as from the private sector and oppose individual tuition fees.

Suggested Citation

  • Marius R. Busemeyer & Maria Alejandra Cattaneo & Stefan C. Wolter, 2011. "Individual policy preferences for vocational versus academic education: Microlevel evidence for the case of Switzerland," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0068, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW).
    • Handle: RePEc:iso:educat:0068
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Athina Economou & Christos Kollias, 2019. "Security policy preferences of EU citizens: Do terrorist events affect them?," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 178(3), pages 445-471, March.
    2. Kuhn, Andreas & Schweri, Jürg & Wolter, Stefan C., 2022. "Local norms describing the role of the state and the private provision of training," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    3. Cattaneo, Maria A. & Wolter, Stefan C., 2022. "“Against all odds” Does awareness of the risk of failure matter for educational choices?," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    4. Shaun M. Dougherty, 2018. "The Effect of Career and Technical Education on Human Capital Accumulation: Causal Evidence from Massachusetts," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 13(2), pages 119-148, Spring.
    5. Aurelien Abrassart & Stefan C. Wolter, 2019. "Investigating the image deficit of VET: occupational prestige ranking depending on the educational requirements and the skill content of occupations," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0168, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW).
    6. Aepli, Manuel & Kuhn, Andreas & Schweri, Jürg, 2021. "Culture, norms, and the provision of training by employers: Evidence from the Swiss language border," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    7. Driouchi, Ahmed & Harkat, Tahar, 2016. "Macroeconomic and School Variables to Reveal Country Choices of General and Vocational Education: A Cross-Country Analysis with focus on Arab Economies," MPRA Paper 73455, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Aurelien Abrassart & Marius R. Busemeyer & Maria A. Cattaneo & Stefan C. Wolter, 2017. "Do migrants prefer academic to vocational education? The role of rational factors vs. social status considerations in the formation of attitudes toward a particular type of education in Switzerland," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0128, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW).
    9. Di Gioacchino, Debora & Sabani, Laura & Tedeschi, Simone, 2019. "Individual preferences for public education spending: Does personal income matter?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 211-228.
    10. Chantal Oggenfuss & Stefan C. Wolter, 2014. "Are the education policy preferences of teachers just a reflection of their occupational concerns?," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0101, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW).
    11. Harkat, Tahar & Driouchi, Ahmed & Achehboune, Amale, 2016. "Time Series Analysis & Choices for General and Vocational Education in Arab Economies," MPRA Paper 74770, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Thomas Bolli & Ladina Rageth, 2016. "Measuring the Social Status of Education Programmes: Applying a New Measurement to Dual Vocational Education and Training in Switzerland," KOF Working papers 16-403, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich.
    13. Busemeyer, Marius R. & Lergetporer, Philipp & Woessmann, Ludger, 2018. "Public opinion and the political economy of educational reforms: A survey," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 161-185.

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    Keywords

    academic education; vocational training; individual policy preferences; Switzerland;
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