Tuition fees for international students: a policy instrument of cost sharing and control or simply income generation

The introduction of tuition fees in Sweden in 2011 is an interesting example of how the design of a tuition fee reform for international students surges beyond simple narratives of revenue generation. More than 10 years after implementing the Swedish reform, this article examines to what extent such market-oriented instruments induce HEIs and the government to seek revenue on the global market. Through a comprehensive analysis, the research employs two theoretical models – the ‘revenue-seeking’ and the ‘cost-sharing and control’ model – to explore the inherent hybridity governance features between market and state-centred objectives. The findings reveal that while the reform primarily adheres to its intended goals of cost-sharing and controlled internationalisation, there is an emerging trend towards revenue generation, particularly in HEIs with strong market positions and in lucrative disciplines like Engineering & Technology and Business Management. The study highlights the reform’s multifaceted impact, aligning with state-centric objectives but gradually shifting towards a revenue-seeking approach. This research contributes to understanding the nuanced effects of tuition fee policies on HEIs and calls for further comparative studies to deepen insights into the diverse outcomes of such reforms in the context of higher education internationalisation.

2011年瑞典推行的留学生学费政策，堪称一个极具研究价值的典型案例：该改革的设计逻辑远超单纯的创收叙事范畴。在该改革实施十余年后，本文旨在探究此类市场化工具在多大程度上促使高等教育机构（Higher Education Institutions, HEIs）与政府在全球教育市场中寻求创收。本研究通过全面分析，采用“创收驱动”与“成本分担与管控”两大理论模型，深入剖析市场导向与国家主导目标之间内在的混合治理特征。研究结果表明，尽管该改革最初主要致力于实现成本分担与可控国际化的既定目标，但已显现出创收的新兴趋势，尤其在市场地位较强的高等教育机构，以及工程技术（Engineering & Technology）、商务管理（Business Management）等高回报学科领域中表现更为突出。本研究凸显了该改革的多维度影响：其虽契合国家主导的政策目标，却正逐步转向创收导向的发展路径。本研究有助于深化对学费政策之于高等教育机构复杂影响的认知，并呼吁开展更多比较研究，以进一步厘清高等教育国际化背景下此类改革的多元成效。