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Last Adopted Statement
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EQUITABLE
ACCESS, SUCCESS AND QUALITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION:
A Policy Statement by the International Association of Universities |
The Statement
in pdf format
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Preamble
A well-educated citizenry is the foundation of social equity, cohesion
and successful participation in the global knowledge economy. As a
result, most countries have set goals to increase the share of the
population with higher education and/or broaden access to higher
education for individuals that are under-represented because of
socio-economic status, race, ethnicity, religion, age, gender,
[dis]ability or location.
As a general rule, countries with low rates of participation in higher
education seek to expand access by increasing the number of
opportunities available while those countries that have already
achieved a significant level of participation in higher education tend
to focus on broadening access so as to include more individuals from
under-represented groups. There are many reasons why some countries may
focus on one aspect rather than the other or why some countries feel
the need to meet both challenges simultaneously. Over time, however,
paying attention to both is becoming important for all.
As a global association of universities and other higher education
institutions, the International Association of Universities (IAU) is
committed to promoting the twin goals of equitable access to, and
successful participation in higher education for all
members of society. The IAU believes that equitable access to quality
learning contributes significantly to the development of national human
resources, promotes social justice and cohesion, enhances personal
development, employability and, in general, facilitates sustainable
development.
The Association urges higher education institutions and government
decision-makers at all levels to adopt the following principles and
recommendations on equitable access and successful participation in
higher education and to act, with some urgency, on their implementation.
Key Principles
- Access to higher learning should be made possible to
all regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, economic or social class,
age, language, religion, location or [dis]abilities.
- The goal of access policies should be successful
participation in higher education, as access without a reasonable
chance of success is an empty promise.
- Equitable access and academic excellence are
essential and compatible aspects of a quality higher education.
- To improve access to higher education, admission
criteria must move away from a primary focus on each learner’s
achievements and entry qualifications towards the recognition of
his/her potential, without the latter becoming the sole criterion for
admission.
- Targeted strategies and policies designed
specifically to elicit the students' full potential are required so as
to increase access to, and success in higher education by individuals
who are traditionally under-represented because of their social
background, economic status, gender, ethnic origins, [dis]abilities,
low quality of prior schooling or for other reasons.
- National and institutional policies and programmes
should be developed through ongoing dialogue among all stakeholder
groups and should acknowledge and address the broad array of academic,
financial and personal barriers facing potential learners.
- Higher education that responds to the challenges of
equitable access and successful participation requires sound policies
and adequate public funding for institutions and students. Such
policies must be sensitive to local conditions; borrowing policy
solutions from other countries that have different problems and
priorities may not be the best solution.
- Equitable access to and broader participation in
higher education require active linkages between higher education and
primary and secondary education and seamless, educational pathways
beginning with early childhood and continuing throughout life, and
aided by career guidance and counselling services when appropriate.
- Responding to the varied needs of learners and of
society requires a differentiated but coherent higher education system
reflected in a transparent qualifications framework; a system in which
institutions are assessed according to their specific mission and goals.
- To promote access and student success, different
institutional models, flexible programmes of study as well as a variety
of delivery modes must be available to allow individuals at all stages
of life to move through higher education in a manner that suits their
needs.
- International mobility, exchanges and cross-border
education activities must integrate the twin goals of increased access
and equitable participation.
Recommendations for Higher
Education Institutions
Based on these principles, the International Association of
Universities proposes the following action agenda for adoption and
implementation by higher education institutions, while recognising the
diversity of economic and financial conditions as well as the
particular political, cultural, and historical aspects that define
various national contexts.
- Integrate the goals of equitable access and
successful participation for all learners into the institutional
mission and develop specific objectives and strategies for achieving
them.
- Work in partnership with government, representatives
of other educational sectors, professional associations and employers
in order to address issues of access and successful participation in a
holistic manner, taking into consideration the outcomes of secondary
level schooling, labour market trends and national development needs.
- Call for and participate in a multi-stakeholder
dialogue with government and/or competent bodies to develop policies
and secure adequate financial support for the pursuit of the access and
success agenda.
- Develop or strengthen admission policies and
practices that emphasise the potential of each applicant and address
equity of access and successful participation by offering a variety of
flexible learning pathways for entry and exit.
- Provide students with a comprehensive academic,
financial and social support system paying particular attention to the
specific needs of learners from under-represented groups and/or those
who experience difficulties.
- Reward quality teaching, curricular innovation and
responsiveness to learner diversity in the academic career structure of
faculty members.
- Provide faculty with pedagogical training based on a
culture of student-centred learning and with a focus on learning
outcomes.
- Facilitate access to learning, respond to diverse
learning needs and increase outreach by the appropriate and effective
use of a variety of delivery modes.
- Mainstream the assessment of prior and experiential
learning (e.g. learning through work schemes, accreditation of work
placements) as well as blended, distance and e-learning into the
admission and credit accumulation processes.
- Interact with the media and the general public to
develop an understanding of, and build support for, the need and value
of institutional differentiation.
- Ensure that all institutional policies for
international mobility, academic exchanges as well as other
cross-border educational activities take into consideration the
challenges of equitable access and broadening participation at home and
abroad.
- Provide reliable and timely information on access,
successful retention and graduation rates to students, the general
public, employers and governments in a proactive manner.
Recommendations to
Governments
Governments at all levels have an essential role in promoting and
enabling access to high-quality higher education for all members of
society. Based on the principles outlined, and recognising the
diversity and significance of context at the local, national, and
regional levels, the International Association of Universities proposes
the following action agenda for adoption and implementation by
governments worldwide. In addition, the IAU encourages governments to
discuss these principles in national and international higher education
fora.
- In consultation with all stakeholder groups,
articulate an integrated educational, social and economic agenda to
promote equitable access, broadened participation and success in higher
education.
- Demonstrate a commitment to equitable access and
success by providing adequate funding, using models that are sensitive
to, and
appropriate for, local conditions and that support higher education
institutions and students with financial need.
- Promote the value of, and encourage mission
differentiation among higher education institutions within a
transparent qualifications framework that is responsive to societal
needs and labour market realities.
- Create a policy environment that is conducive to
increased public and private sector funding in support of equitable
access of potential and enrolled learners with financial need.
- Initiate targeted polices and programmes to eliminate
academic and other non financial barriers to access and successful
participation in higher education.
- Consider the educational system in a holistic manner,
developing coherent policies and strategies that build effective links
with prior levels of education and allow for flexible and seamless
pathways for entry to and exit from higher education for all learners.
- Recognise and reward higher education institutions
that successfully serve individuals from under-represented groups.
- Invest in the necessary and appropriate
infrastructure to support the effective use of information
communication technologies in education, thereby improving
opportunities for all learners, especially adults, and expanding
outreach activities in higher education institutions.
- Given the growing importance of internationalisation
of higher education, provide funding to ensure that opportunities for
international mobility are made accessible to all.
- Report on the achievement of access and retention
goals and make widely available accurate, timely, user-friendly
information that may serve to facilitate access, including information
on financial student aid.
Conclusion
Equitable access and broadening participation in higher education are
fundamental to “knowledge societies” in all parts of the world. The
International Association of Universities calls for all stakeholder
groups, especially governments and higher education institutions, to
act on the promise and potential of these principles and
recommendations. Only robust and collective action, based on ongoing
research, data analysis and the systematic monitoring of progress, will
help achieve these goals. Access and participation in higher education
are essential for the empowerment of all, especially those often
excluded. |
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