Higher Education Transitions: Theory and Research

Eva Kyndt · Vincent Donche · Keith Trigwell · Sari Lindblom-Ylänne

May 2017 · Routledge

About this ebook

In the current era where lifelong learning is brought to the fore, higher education can no longer be regarded as an isolated trajectory within one’s educational career as many students face substantial challenges in crafting their professional future. More specifically, the transition from school to higher education and continuing to the labour market are often a difficult hurdles for many students. Almost half of students do not succeed in the first year and often withdraw from education, students are faced with a variety of contexts and may choose to study in a different (international) context, and they are then confronted with structural barriers in finding a (high-quality) job, as evidenced by increasing levels of youth unemployment and underemployment.

Higher Education Transitions aims to deepen our understanding of the transitions taking place when students enter, progress and leave higher education to enter the labour market. Drawing on an international team of contributors, this guide includes three conceptual and fifteen empirical studies which include a range of quantitative, qualitative, cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. Divided into three sections to reflect each important transition phase, topics include:

• transitions from secondary to higher education;
• transitions within higher education;
• transitions from higher education to the labour market.

By considering transitions across different phases as a broad and interrelated process, this guide will be essential reading for higher education researchers, policy stakeholders and all those interested in the transitions into higher education and the labour market.

About the author

Eva Kyndt is an assistant professor at the Research Group of Occupational and Organisational Psychology and Professional Learning at KU Leuven – University of Leuven, Belgium.

Vincent Donche is an associate professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Training and Education Sciences at the University of Antwerp, Belgium.

Keith Trigwell is a professor of higher education at the University of Sydney, Australia.

Sari Lindblom-Ylänne is a professor of higher education at the University of Helsinki, Finland.