Changing the Culture of the Campus Towards an Inclusive Higher Education

The desires to challenge social exclusion in general, and to promote access and wider participation in higher education(HE) in particular, have grown in importance in recent years. This edited book from authors who are practitioners, policy makers and researchers in Europe, Australia and the US examines these policies, and associated practices. Following a consideration of what social exclusion is and the sort of contribution higher education might be expected to make to help create a less diverse society, the book moves to examine issues relating to widening participation in higher education. The goal of greater diversity in HE poses tensions and problems; for example, what is equality, whose interest does expansion serve, and is there a conflict between access and quality? From these more general dilemmas the book moves to examine and illustrate national strategies and approaches to promote wider and greater participation. From this the focus is narrowed to a discussion of how individual institutions have responded to the challenge of promoting inclusion. In particular situations targeted measures are needed, and a number of case studies working with specific groups are presented. The final section looks ahead to the next steps required to change the culture of the campus towards an inclusive higher education.