Equity and Inclusion: Setting the Agenda for the Transformation of HigherEducation in Asia and the Pacific
A keynote speech delivered at the Sophia University-UNU-IAS-ProSPER.Net Forum, 21October 2023, online
Libing Wang
UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok
Access, quality, and equity represent the fundamental pillars of policy objectives thatevery higher education system should pursue. Recognizing their interconnected nature,these three policy domains should be regarded as an integrated whole, as theireffectiveness is contingent upon each other.
In the realms of access and quality, various metrics, including Gross Enrollment Ratios(GERs), learning outcomes (LOs), employment rates, and more, have already been
established to gauge their progress. Furthermore, these metrics can be stratified based on
students' diverse backgrounds to capture the equity aspects within these contexts.
With higher education systems expanding globally, GERs have experienced a significant
surge in most systems, enhancing learners’ access to higher education. Simultaneously,
considerable endeavors have been directed toward improving the quality of higher
education through both external and internal quality assurance mechanisms.
The present moment demands a more focused consideration of the equity aspect, as thesignificance of equity and inclusion has escalated in response to various disruptive
factors, especially the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Indeed, equity andinclusion have emerged as pivotal themes reshaping higher education across Asia and thePacific.
Categorizing disadvantaged students
Equity and inclusion involve guaranteeing fair representation of students from diverse
backgrounds in higher education, spanning different social, economic, ethnic, gender,
physical, and mental characteristics. Consequently, it is imperative for each country todevise tailored frameworks for identifying and categorizing disadvantaged students.
Among the various groups of disadvantaged students, those facing physical and mental
disabilities are notably prominent. Securing their access to higher education stands as a
critical element of promoting equity and inclusion. This objective requires well-definedpolicies, procedures, incentives, and resource allocations.
Family income serves as another criterion for identifying disadvantaged students, as thosefrom low-income households often face marginalization in accessing higher education.
This challenge is particularly pronounced in countries with significant tuition fees but
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limited financial assistance, including public-funded scholarships and governmentbacked student loan schemes.
In countries with diverse ethnicities, it is critical to ensure the right of minority students
to access higher education. Similarly, in countries with varying religious affiliations, it is
crucial to provide students from minority religious groups with equitable access to higher
education opportunities.
Additional disadvantaged student groups may include non-local students, refugees,
displaced persons, and persons living in refugee-like situations. National mappings ofthese diverse student groups are instrumental in identifying target disadvantaged
populations, monitoring their status, conducting gap analyses, and implementing effectivesolutions.
Students recruitment
The journey toward equity and inclusion should begin with the recruitment of college
students, if not earlier, given the significant impact of the school system's structure on thecomposition of college student populations.
It is intriguing to note that the basis for diverse educational paths, originating from theunderstanding in educational psychology that learners have varying needs and attitudes
during the 1950s, transitioned into arguments promoting equity and inclusion throughcomprehensive school movements grounded in educational sociology in the UK during
the 1960s.
Regarding student recruitment, there are primarily two approaches: one is merit-based,
involving a broader range of examinations and assessments, which may include highstakes national college entrance exams and other standardized tests. The second approachis quota-based, where a designated percentage of university placements is reserved forunderprivileged students alongside the regular selection procedures.
Sustaining a quota-based admission system is crucial, especially when resources arelimited for supporting underprivileged student groups during their years prior to highereducation. This highlights the need for affirmative action in many countries to ensure
equitable access to higher education.
As educational systems become increasingly equitable for students from various
backgrounds, the phase-out of the quota-based admission system can occur gradually.
This transition allows the merit-based admission system to take precedence, ensuring themaintenance of equity and inclusion in higher education provisions.
In most countries, higher education institutions typically adopt a hierarchical structurewith multiple tiers. It is crucial for these institutions, especially those at the top, to2

prioritize the inclusion of students from diverse backgrounds, particularly those who haveencountered disadvantages, as part of their social responsibilities. To achieve this,policies should be implemented to facilitate the recruitment of students from humble
backgrounds, whether through merit-based or quota-based admission processes.
Access to different disciplines and areas of study
Ensuring equal access to higher education goes beyond just counting the total number ofstudents from diverse backgrounds. It involves actively promoting the participation of adiverse student body in a wide range of academic disciplines and fields of study.
Performing equity assessments is vital to guarantee that all students have the same
opportunities to access the most prestigious and innovative educational programmes.
In the past, male students have largely dominated STEM study programmes, while
humanities and social sciences programmes have attracted more female students.
Additionally, student representation in both STEM and SHS programmes varies among
different demographic groups based on additional criteria.
In cases where merit-based mechanisms fail to uplift the representation of disadvantaged
students in highly sought-after study programmes, targeted affirmative actions must beimplemented to ensure their participation. Establishing supportive ecosystems at thesystem, institutional, and faculty levels is crucial to fostering inclusion and enhancing
access to relevant study programmes for underprivileged students.
An alternative strategy involves identifying the most financially rewarding study
programmes based on their initial employment rates and post-graduation salary levels.
Undertaking comprehensive evaluations of student demographics from diverse
backgrounds within these programmes can enhance the analysis of equity and inclusion.
With higher education institutions aligning their study programmes with the 17
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ensuring equal access to these programmes
becomes crucial. This enables students to acquire essential sustainability-related skills
and competencies, preparing them to contribute effectively towards achieving all theSDG targets.
Equity and inclusion assessments should cover all disciplines and fields of study toprevent certain student groups from dominating high-demand programmes. This isparticularly crucial for programmes that leverage advanced technologies and offer
promising employment prospects and higher salaries while aligning with the SDGs.
Student support system
As the higher education system expands, governments' increasing costs and diminishingfinancial capacity to support this growth have prompted an increased adoption of the3

cost-sharing concept for higher education in numerous countries. Nevertheless, highertuition fees challenge equity and inclusion, potentially restricting the participation ofstudents from disadvantaged backgrounds in higher education.
UNESCO recognizes higher education as a public good and an essential part of the rightto education. To ease the financial strain on students, increased government investment
should be complemented by establishing a comprehensive student financial support
system. This system should include different allowances covering living and tuition costs
alongside potential student loan schemes.
Besides financial support, higher education institutions need strong student affairs
management systems to provide a wide range of assistance to students facing diverse
challenges, including academic, social, physical, mental, and logistical support.
Integrating academic support and mental health services to facilitate the holistic
development of university students, especially those facing difficult circumstances, iscrucial. Creating inclusive campuses, classrooms, and laboratories involves addressing all
individual needs, whether they relate to academic requirements or the mental well-beingof each student.
Faculty members should be prepared to embrace inclusive teaching methods toaccommodate the diverse needs of students in their classes. Actions such as reducingclass sizes, providing personalized tutoring, and promoting interactions between teachersand students as well as among students, especially with the assistance of technology, canpromote equity and inclusion in the learning and teaching processes, ensuring that nostudent is left behind.
All student support services strive to help students overcome financial, academic,physical, social, and mental challenges, promoting rewarding learning experiences and apositive campus environment that empowers students to reach their full potential.
Attaining this objective requires the professional development of student affairs
management staff and equipping faculty members with the essential skills to handle bothacademic and non-academic aspects proficiently.
Employment destinations
Higher education serves as a crucial pathway for students' social mobility.
Comprehensive equity and inclusion assessments should cover not only student
recruitment, their learning experiences, and campus life but also their employment
destinations after graduation.
Several factors impact students' employment after graduation, such as their institutional
choices, personal backgrounds, and networks. Essential empirical research is needed toidentify these factors and track the employment trajectories of various student groups.
4This research will guide targeted initiatives to eliminate barriers that hinder
underprivileged students from pursuing mainstream professions.
While higher education serves broader purposes than just employment, it shouldprioritize enhancing its study programmes to keep pace with the rapidly evolving job
market. This entails proactively building solid relationships with stakeholders such asprofessional organizations, employers, and other partners to boost the employability of
their graduates.
Students from disadvantaged backgrounds should receive enhanced support throughcounseling services, customized recruitment sessions, on and off-campus job fairs, online
job portals, and strengthened connections with local job markets.
Efficient alumni relationship management should include long-term tracking of theiremployment statuses, with a specific focus on equity and inclusion. This approach willsubsequently help inform the development and implementation of institutional measuresfor equity and inclusion based on the lessons learned.
Setting the new agenda
As access and quality in higher education systems worldwide continue to improve, theimportant policy objectives of equity and inclusion have become a central focus. This
calls for fresh perspectives and proactive measures to shape the future transformation ofhigher education.
The equity and inclusion challenges ingrained in the school system often extend intohigher education, where their secondary school backgrounds frequently influence student
admission success. However, multiple policy approaches are available to promote equity
and inclusion in recruiting students for higher education. Striking a balance between
merit-based and quota-based methods is essential to guarantee more significant equity
and inclusion.
While the starting point is significant, the processes and outcomes hold equal, if not moresignificant, importance for equity and inclusion assessments. It is crucial to consistently
apply an equity and inclusion perspective to both the teaching and learning processes andthe employment destinations of all students.
Looking ahead, we aim for equity and inclusion perspectives to play a more substantial
role in discussions and endeavors to achieve the triple policy objectives, along withaccess and quality, in higher education.

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