Individual Benefits of Continuing Higher Education. The Case of a Swiss Business School

Abstract

This contribution examines individual benefits of continuing higher education courses provided by a business school. Lifelong learning is important when it comes to keeping up with changing professional requirements and conditions. Adult education and training courses in the form of continuing higher education offer an organized and systematic possibility to further develop oneself. However, empirical evidence on the benefits to graduates is sparse. This article aims to expand the state of knowledge through a Swiss case. Using univariate and multivariate analyses of survey data ( n = 1615), benefits contributing to the satisfaction with practice oriented, non-formal education for working professionals are examined. The analyses focus on satisfaction with one of three types of continuing education programs as a measure for the overall benefit to the graduates. The findings provide important indications for the design of continuing education programs in the context of professional higher education. They reveal that subjectively, monetary benefits as well as increases in personal competence are secondary to the overall benefit accrued through the completion of courses. Instead, career development and the enhancement of specific professional competence significantly contribute to the satisfaction of professionals completing continuing higher education.