Students in higher education, 1 October 2001, preliminary figures

The autumn 2001 there were 198 500 students in higher education in Norway, An increase of about 3.5 per cent from the fall 2000. The large proportion of this increase has been in the colleges, while the numbers of students at the universities is relatively stable. Of the total number of students, roughly 11 500, or 6 per cent, belong to the immigrant population. The largest group is from Sweden followed by Vietnam, Iran, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Pakistan and Denmark, all with more than 500 students in higher education.

The percentage of women in higher education is still about 60 per cent. This majority of women are reflected in most of the educational institutions, with a few exceptions. The percentage of women in higher education among the immigrant population is somewhat lower compared with the population as a whole, but there were still more women with immigrant background than men in higher education.

First generation immigrants have low participation in higher education

Participation in higher education among the 19-24 year olds in the population has decreased some the last few years. The autumn 2001 just below 26 per cent of this group were enrolled in higher education. We find a majority of women in this age group too; nearly one out of three women in this age group were enrolled in higher education, but only one out of five men in this age group. The percentage of 19-24 year olds with immigrant background enrolled in higher education was significantly lower than the percentage of 19-24 year olds in the entire population. Especially was the participation amongst the first generation immigrants low, just around 15 per cent of these in the age group 19-24 years were enrolled in a college or university, while 20 per cent of the persons in this age group, with two foreign-born parents participated in higher education. The percentage of 25-29 year olds in the population who were enrolled in higher education had increased a little. The percentage of 25-29 year olds participation in higher education among the first generation immigrants was lower than in the entire population in this age group. Among the 25-29 year olds with two foreign-born parents, the percentage was higher than in the population in this age group.

Many immigrants choose natural sciences, trade and industrial programmes

The students with immigrant background differ from the total population of students on some points when we look at choice of education. Fewer students with immigrant background choose education within education and teacher training compared with the total population, and significantly more students with immigrant background choose education within natural sciences, trade and industrial programmes. These trends apply for both men and women with immigrant background. A higher percentage of first generation immigrant males choose education within health, social and physical education compared with the total percentage of males in this type of education.

Tables:

• Table 1 Students, by gender, type of college, ownership and educational institution. Preliminary figures, 1st october 1999 - 2001
• Table 2 Students, by age and type of college. Absolute figures and percentages. Preliminary figures, 1st October 2001
• Table 3 Students by gender and immigrant category. Preliminary figures, 1st october 2001
• Table 4 Students by immigrant category, sex and field of study. Preliminary figures, 1st october 2001
• Table 5 Students by immigrant category and country background. Preliminary figures, 1st October 2001