Can students be a consumer in higher education?

Can we consider students as a consumer? Is it good to treat students like consumers? Before answering these
questions, another question should be asked. Who are a consumer and a customer? A consumer is a person who uses the end product and a customer is a person who purchases the product.

Education is a fundamental need of every citizen in the world. It is their basic right to acquire new knowledge and skills. But now all over the world, the system of education is changing drastically because of the change in the needs of the so-called student customer. Consumerism and ease of doing things are becoming the parameters of the quality of modern living. This creates behavioral changes and perception variations, both philosophically and materialistically. Education was a sector and now it is an industry.

The educational institutions are now turning themselves into retail stores where they are providing the facility to select items according to their interests and thus students become consumers. Students are now acting as if they are entering a retail store and selecting courses as per their requirements. Students increasingly adopt a consumer’s perspective and shop for flexible, seamless, and individualized educational experiences. As is the case in most aspects of their lives, they look at an increasingly wide range of educational providers to satisfy their standards and will exercise choice by moving on if their expectations are not met. Apart from teaching, all the other systems like registration, placements, admissions, financial aids, etc. are now changed catering to the needs of these consumers.

The starting point for younger generations entering higher education is entirely different than it was for older generations. Since they are digital natives who have grown up with technology invading almost every area of their lives, why would they anticipate anything different from their educational experience? One-size-fits-all in education will now be a thing of the past and individual learning paths will undoubtedly be less defined by existing educational systems.

The core idea still stands that creating higher education policy at all levels should start with recognizing that the general public, not individual students, is the target audience for higher education. When we clarify the consumer, it helps drive decision-making toward benefiting society for the long run vs. enriching individuals for the short term. Academic standards are more resistant to haphazard negotiating when faculty members are aware that they are preparing students for societal rather than institutional benefits.

Author Manju Malathy is a social activist who is also a passionate trainer with 12 years of experience in higher education. Additionally, she holds the position of Provisional Zone Trainer Junior Chamber International India Zone 20.