Authors

• Lempinen, Petri (Student Research Foundation (Otus))

Keywords

educational grants, future, higher education institutions, leisure time activities, living conditions, standard of living, tertiary education, undergraduates

Abstract

In this study, living conditions and attitudes of university students were canvassed. The respondents were asked to assess various factors affecting study motivation and skills they thought had developed in connection with university studies. The respondents were also asked whether they had considered changing their major subject or field of training, what things stood in the way of choosing secondary subjects in other Finnish universities, whether they would like to take part of their exams in a foreign university, and what was the image of their own place of study in their minds. With economy in mind, the respondents were asked what the biggest problem was in financing their studies, how big the study grant ought to be, how much money a month the respondents had at their disposal after housing costs, whether they had a student loan, whether they had worked while studying, and whether they worked in the summer. Furthermore, the respondents were asked to assess some propositions about study grants, their own economic position, and students' economic position in general.

In reference to lifestyle and ways of spending time, the respondents were asked whether they were content with their lives, how much time they spent in studying, and what they did in their leisure time. In addition, the respondents' interest in physical and cultural activities, in the media, and their attitudes towards the activities of student organisations were studied. They were also asked if they had a car, a computer, a TV, a stereo, a telephone, or a cell phone at their disposal. The respondents' expectations for the future were studied with several questions. They were asked to assess propositions on their future jobs and employment, and the significance of various things like education, family, the EU, and diminishing of environmental pollution in view of safety in the future. The respondents were also asked about their attitude towards politics and other social activities.

Background variables included the respondent's year of birth, starting year of studies, university, field of training, sex, form of family, form of dwelling, and the profession of parents.