Bridges, Pathways and Transitions

Despite the persistence of lingering structural inequalities, this book shows that widening participation initiatives and policies have had a profound impact on improving access to higher education to historically marginalised groups of students from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. The research presented here provides a source of inspiration to students who are navigating disadvantage to succeed in higher education against the odds. There are stories of success in difficult circumstances, revealing the resilience and determination of individuals and collectives to fight for a place in higher education and improve their chances for securing social mobility for the next generation. The book also reveals that more work and policy interventions are needed to further equalize the playing field between social groups. Governments need to address the entrenched structural inequalities, particularly the effects of poverty, that prevent more academically able disadvantaged students from participating in higher education on the basis of the circumstances of their birth. Across the globe, social reproduction is far more likely than social mobility because of policies and practices that continue to protect the privilege of those in the middle and at the top of social structures. With the gap between rich and poor widening at a rate previously unseen we need radical policies to equalize the playing field in fundamental ways. Focusses on collaborations with schools, families, and communities Highlights tools and methods to aid in the creation of pathways and bridging initiatives into higher educationIncludes case studies showing how students are supported during the transition into high education systems