Economisation of the Education System in Shrinking Regions? The Demographic Responsiveness of Education Demand and Supply at Different Levels of the Education System

Abstract

Will foreseeable demographic change lead to savings in the education sector? This question is investigated in a retrospective perspective based on data from Saxony-Anhalt, the German state with the largest population decline since reunification. Results show that we can observe economisation strategies in the face of lower cohort sizes in most subsectors of the education system. These strategies are, however, not always (directly) attributable to demographic decline. Moreover, there is considerable variation in the demographic responsiveness of education demand and supply. Important intervening factors in this respect are several dimensions of educational governance and the economic conditions in a given region.