Access to Education in Europe: A Framework and Agenda for System Change - Paperback

by Paul Downes (Author)

Acknowledgements.-Foreword by Sue Waddington, President of the European Association for the Education of Adults (2008-2013).-1. Introduction: Developing a Conceptual Framework for Access to Education for Socio-Economically Marginalised Groups - A Systems Focus.-Chapter 1: Summary.- 2. System Blockages for Access to Education in Europe: Paper Commitments and Substantive Gaps.- 2.1 The European Union's strategic priority on paper of access and lifelong learning as a means of fostering social inclusion: Falling between two stools in the ET2020 targets ? .- 2.2 Access to education for marginalised groups: A neglected focus in university rankings.- Chapter 2: Summary.- 3. Conceptual Framework and Agenda: Beyond Bronfenbrenner (1979;1995) to Interrogation of Blocked Systems via Structural Indicators.- 3.1Conceptual Framework: Interrogating Bronfenbrenner's (1979; 1995) systems framework in educational, developmental and community psychology for access to education.-3.2 The need for focus on system blockage and displacement in moving from inert to inclusive systems: Key limitations to Bronfenbrenner's (1979; 1995) understanding of systems.- Chapter 3: Summary.- 4. Structural Indicators for System Level Change for Access to Education for Marginalised Groups.- 4.1 An agenda of structural indicators for system level change for access to education for marginalised groups at international, national and institutional levels.- 4.2 Key interpretative principles underpinning a systemic review of structural indicators for access to education derived by analogy from international rights discourse.- 4.3 Structural indicators: A key strategic gap in the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) international education indicators.-Chapter 4: Summary.- 5. Access to Higher Education for Socio-Economically Marginalized Groups: Indicators at Macro-Exo levels.- 5.1 A central driving committee at State level for access to higher education and lifelong learning for marginalised groups (Structural Indicator) - including clear funding sources.- 5.2 Clarification of the criteria to ascertain socio-economic exclusion (Structural Indicator) given the observed tendency, especially in Central and Eastern European countries, for targeting to occur for more easily identifiable target groups like those with a disability or from an ethnic minority - in contrast with groups experiencing socio-economic exclusion.- Chapter 5: Summary.- 6. Access to Higher Education for Socio-Economically Marginalized Groups: Indicators at Macro-Exo levels.- 6.1 The need for a formal obligation on institutions from the State to improve access and for incentives for third level institutions such as differentiated funding from the State based on implementation of access goals (Structural Indicator).- 6.2 State-led incentives to different faculties and departments within third level institutions to increase access: A faculty and department level focus to increase access (Structural Indicator).- 6.3 An access strategy for the so-called 'elite' universities (Structural Indicator).- 6.4 Representation of target groups, including ethnic minorities in the decision making structures and processes at national level regarding access to education (Structural Indicator).- 6.5 A system of reserved places or equivalent approach to increase participation of underrepresented groups at third level (Structural Indicator).- 6.6 A coherent support strategy for access to third level education for orphans and young people in care (Structural Indicator).- Chapter 6: Summary.- 7.Access to Higher Education for Socio-Economically Marginalized Groups: Indicators at Micro-Meso levels.- 7.1 Education institutional strategies for access for groups experiencing socio-economic exclusion (Structural Indicator).- 7.2 Development of outreach institutional strategies that go beyond mere information based models (Structural Indicator).- 7.3 Availability of school and university ins

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This book identifies key elements of an international framework to develop systems-level change to promote access to education, including higher education, for socio-economically marginalized groups. It is based on interviews with senior government officials and senior management in universities, non formal education and prisons across 12 countries in Europe. The book identifies systemic obstacles to and opportunities for promotion of access to education for socio-economically excluded groups that are issues transferable to other countries' contexts. It adopts a systemic focus on access across a range of domains of education, both formal higher education and non-formal education, as well as prison education. Through a focus on a more dynamic structuralist systems framework it develops an innovative post-Bronfenbrennerian view of system levels in lifespan developmental and educational psychology. It also develops an international agenda for reform in relation to these various system levels for access to education for socio-economically marginalized groups, through extraction of key structural indicators to evaluate reform progress in a transparent, culturally sensitive manner. The book identifies current gaps and strengths in policy, practice and structures that impact upon access to education, including higher education, across a range of countries. These gaps and strengths are illustrative and are to inform a strategic approach to system level change and development for the promotion of access to education for socio-economically marginalized groups in Europe and beyond.

"Too many educational practices entrench social exclusion: it is an urgent priority across Europe that social justice policies are implemented for the inclusion of marginalised groups. Paul Downes' analysis of these issues is timely. His conclusions are considered and practical: this book is a valuable and constructive resource for practitioners, academics and the policy community." Professor Alistair Ross, Jean Monnet ad Personam Professor of Citizenship Education in Europe, Emeritus Professor of Education, Institute for Policy Studies in Education, London Metropolitan University