COVID-19 and Incentives of Higher Education

Abstract: What incentives do Swedish University students have to pursue higher education? If and how are these incentives affected by the COVID-19 pandemic? This study aims to investigate incentives of Swedish university students and possible influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on said incentives. This research is based on a qualitative survey and interviews that will contribute with nuanced reflections of the studied sample. The findings of this study suggests that due to an already existing high demand for higher education, COVID-19 affected incentives of Swedish university students to a small extent of the studied sample. The findings of this study connects to the presented literature of The Knowledge Economy and theoretical framework of Sheepskin Effects and theory of Signaling. This study’s findings confirm the proposed tentative proposition and answers the research question, that due to presented literature and theoretical framework, COVID-19 will have little impact on incentives of Swedish university students’ incentives. This research aims to contribute to the field of implications of COVID-19 on tertiary level education.