Promotional Information

Widening Higher Education Participation aims to engage academics and scholars from different countries on a wide range of topics related to widening participation of students.

Table of Contents

1. Systemic Equity Challenges: An Overview of the Role of Australian Universities in Student Equity and Social Inclusion 2. Taking Stock of 50 Years of Participation in Canadian Higher Education 3. Widening Participation in Aotearoa New Zealand Tertiary Education Since 2000 4. Higher Education in Europe: Widening Participation 5. The Challenge of Widening Participation to Higher Education in Brazil: Injustices, Innovations, and Outcomes 6. Barriers Impeding Access to Higher Education: The Effects of Government Education Policy for Disadvantaged Palestinian Arab and Jewish Citizens 7. Same Sky, Different Horizon: An Analysis of Disadvantaged Groups’ Access to Prestigious Universities in Mainland China 8. Access and Equity in Higher Education in Indonesia: A Review from the Periphery 9. Developing Inclusive Learning to Improve the Engagement, Belonging, Retention, and Success of Students from Diverse Groups 10. Widening Participation in Australia: Lessons on Equity, Standards, and Institutional Leadership 11. The Tension between Access and Success: Challenges and Opportunities for Community Colleges in the United States 12. Widening Access Through Higher Education Transformation: A Case Study of University of KwaZulu-Natal 13. The Economic and Social Benefits of Widening Participation: Rhetoric or Reality? 14. University Choosers and Refusers: Social Theory, Ideas of “Choice” and Implications for Widening Participation 15. Global Perspectives on Widening Participation: Approaches and Concepts

About the Author

Mahsood Shah is an Associate Professor at the University of Newcastle, Australia. In this role Mahsood is responsible for strengthening research capacity with staff who are engaged in teaching open access courses to young and mature age students from various equity groups. His area of research strength include: quality in higher education, student experience, student feedback, student retention and attrition, student engagement in quality assurance, and private higher education. Prior to joining the University of Newcastle, Mahsood led strategic planning and quality assurance in a number of Australian universities and private higher education providers. Anna Bennett is Convenor of the University of Newcastle’s adult enabling program, which is open entry and enables people to qualify for entry into various degree programs across Australia. Dr. Bennett has a PhD in Sociology and applies sociological theory and concepts to better understand social and educational phenomena. She utilises mixed-methods, works in multi-disciplinary teams and is involved in a range of research projects about complex issues. In particular, Dr. Bennett draws on Foucauldian methodology. Erica Southgate is a Senior Lecturer and researcher in the School of Education at the University of Newcastle (UoN). For over two decades she has conducted qualitative social research in the areas of education and health, with a focus social disadvantage and marginalisation. Erica is interested in applying feminist poststructural and Foucauldian social theory to complex social issues. Erica’s recent publications have focused on the role of emotion and sociality in qualitative research, deconstructing widening participation policy in Australian higher education, and social class, schooling and educational aspiration and pathways.