A policy agenda for improving access to higher education in the EU

If forces are to be mobilized in Europe to successfully exit the crisis and create a smart, sustainable and inclusive growth path towards a knowledge-based society by 2020, European Higher Education has to play a more central role. Beyond delivering excellence in research output, it should also achieve a wide access and throughput of students to deliver the necessary skills for Europe 2020. But the European Higher Education system does not seem currently to be in a position to achieve these aspirations in a number of important ways. This report reviews the evidence on how the Higher Education system in Europe is currently performing in terms of access, as well as the past and current policy agenda in Europe for improving access to higher education. It provides summarizing conclusions for the future policy agenda in Europe.

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