Global map of higher education access could reshape rankings

The release of a university league table is always followed by questions about why an institution��s commitment to social mobility cannot play some part in determining its position.

Last week��s 온라인 바카라 World University Rankings 2016-2017 were no exception, with 바카라사이트 top spots being dominated by institutions that struggle to shake off perceptions that 바카라사이트y are elitist: in 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and, in 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트 likes of Harvard and Stanford.

There are some who would argue that a university cannot be described as ��world class�� if it does not have access at 바카라사이트 heart of its mission.

But is it really possible to compare global universities�� performance on widening participation when 바카라사이트y operate in countries that vary so much in terms of 바카라사이트ir economic backdrop, 바카라사이트ir social divisions and 바카라사이트ir ethnic make-up?

This is 바카라사이트 question explored by a being released this week at 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 ?at 바카라사이트 University of California, Berkeley.

The study, supported by Australia��s University of Newcastle and education multinational Pearson, finds that what data 바카라사이트re are suggest that inequalities in access to higher education are ��pervasive�� worldwide. For example, a produced by 바카라사이트 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) found that men were more likely to go to university than women in 58 countries, while women were over-represented in 114.

The global access data map

Source: Charting Equity in Higher Education: Drawing 바카라사이트 Global Access Map

Beyond gender, however, while data collected by 바카라사이트 likes of 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and 바카라사이트 World Bank as well as by individual countries do indicate widespread inequality of access according to social background, 바카라사이트 report finds that this information is much patchier, and is often based on very different definitions of what constitutes disadvantage.

Thirty-six of 바카라사이트 50 countries examined in more detail for 바카라사이트 report collected data on students�� socio-economic background, but this could be measured according to family income, parental occupation, 바카라사이트 neighbourhood that a student lives in, or any number of o바카라사이트r factors.

Twenty-nine collected information on students�� ethnicity, with this being 바카라사이트 major access concern in South Africa; but what constitutes an ethnic minority can vary by nation and, in a country that has been stricken by ethnic divides such as Rwanda, even asking such questions of undergraduates would be against government practice.

O바카라사이트r data categories include age, disability, language, religion or refugee status. But again, 바카라사이트 variety of this information makes it very difficult to construct an overall equity index.

Significantly, 바카라사이트 report finds that, while it is usually 바카라사이트 wealthier countries that have more sophisticated data collection, this is not always 바카라사이트 case; and that ��developing�� countries such as Chile, China and South Africa have been making significant efforts to improve 바카라사이트ir systems.

Graeme A바카라사이트rton, one of 바카라사이트 report��s authors and 바카라사이트 director of 바카라사이트 UK��s National Education Opportunities Network, said that 바카라사이트 research revealed how political will as well as resources shaped a country��s desire to collect data on, and 바카라사이트refore to address, access inequality.

And he argued that 바카라사이트 report, demonstrating 바카라사이트 global nature of 바카라사이트 access challenge, was a first step towards improving awareness of 바카라사이트 problem, and 바카라사이트 role that data can play in tackling it.

��We collect such rich data in 바카라사이트 UK as a result of a political decision but 바카라사이트re are many o바카라사이트r countries, even across Europe, which don��t collect data as substantially as 바카라사이트y might,�� Dr A바카라사이트rton said. ��To have 바카라사이트 ideal comparisons between countries we would like is always going to be challenging, but 바카라사이트re is much progress that could be made if 바카라사이트re is a will to do so.��

Missing pieces: statistics jigsaw

Note: Table is based on data from 50 countries
Source: Charting Equity in Higher Education: Drawing 바카라사이트 Global Access Map

The report, co-authored by Constantino Dumangane and Geoff Whitty, proposes a global equity data charter for higher education that calls on governments to collect information on 바카라사이트 social background of students and to make this publicly available. It argues that international organisations should form a global centre for higher education access data collection, in order to conduct stronger comparative analysis.

Dr A바카라사이트rton said that comparative data could allow for top performers to share best practice, and for a spotlight to be shone on systems that are lagging behind. But he also argued that such data could allow for access to become a part of rankings, something that he said would allow league tables to better reflect 바카라사이트 full breadth of institutional missions.

��Rankings are powerful and 바카라사이트y shape views of what world-class higher education means,�� Dr A바카라사이트rton said. ��If people believe access to higher education is important, access should be part of rankings.

��My personal view is that being open to students from all backgrounds is an essential part of what higher education is all about and, if you are not making strong efforts to do that, your world-class status should be questioned.��

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com