1. IAU International Conference Nairobi
Strategies for securing access and
success in higher education
How do governments act to reach these objectives?
Mary Tupan-Wenno
Executive Director ECHO, Center for Diversity Policy, Netherlands
President European Access Network

2. Why and how do governments act to
secure access and success of all students
in higher education?
Is Government policy enough to achieve
more equity?

3. Why equity policy in higher education?
• Factual reasons: demographic and economic
developments, shortages in graduates of certain
disciplines
• Ideological reasons: accessibility higher
education, social justice, equal opportunities etc.

4. Dutch context

5. Demographic development in the
Netherlands 1996 – 2050 Population in the Netherlands by Dutch and Non Dutch 1996 - 2050
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
Dutch
Non Dutch
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1996 2000 2004 2006 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050
Source: Central Bureau for the Statistics

6. The Netherlands:
a changing society
2011: 11%
(non western) ethnic minorities

7. The Netherlands:
a changed society
the urban area
2011: 35%
(non western) ethnic minorities

8. Share of (non western) ethnic minorities
in education (2006/2007)
urban non urban
• Primary education 55% 10%
• Secondary education 50% 11%
• Higher education 30% 12%

9. Enrollment Randstad: universities of
applied sciences, cohort 1997 - 2008
Verdeling instroom G5 HBO naar etniciteit
80%
70%
60%
50%
40% Autochtoon
Allochtoon
NW-allochtoon
30%
20%
10%
0%
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
cohort 1997 - 2008

10. Enrollment Randstad: research
universities, cohort 1997 - 2008
Verdeling instroom G5 WO naar etniciteit
80%
70%
60%
50%
40% Autochtoon
Allochtoon
NW allochtoon
30%
20%
10%
0%
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Cohort 1997 - 2008

11. Graduation rates (ba) Randstad: universities of
applied sciences, cohort 1997 - 2002
Studentrendement (n+2) G5 HBO totaal
80%
70%
60%
50%
Autochtoon
40%
NW-allochtoon
30%
20%
10%
0%
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
cohort 1997 - 2002

12. Graduation rates (ba) Randstad: research
universities, cohort 1997 - 2003
Studentrendement G5 WO bachelor (n+2) naar etniciteit
80%
70%
60%
50%
Autochtoon
40%
NW-allochtoon
30%
20%
10%
0%
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
cohort 1997 -2003

13. Government policy on equity
Netherlands
Factual reasons Ideological reasons Policy focus
1990 – 2000 Shortages of HE graduates on Access undergraduate, National
the labourmarket Equity Institutional
Demographic developments Ethnic minorities
2001 - 2007 Demographic developments Access undergraduate, National
Retention gap Equity Institutional
Labourmarket demands Ethnic minorities
2008 – 2011 Increasing gap in retention & Access undergraduate Urban
Achievement Access graduate, Institutional
Labourmarket demands Equity Ethnic minorities
Bologna social dimension
2012- Low achievement rates in
general
Labourmarket demands
Bologna social dimension

14. OECD: Thematic review of tertiary
education in the Netherlands
For those who have the right preparation, are the
right age, and have the right kind of family
situation, there are abundant opportunities within
the tertiary education system of the Netherlands.
But potential students from underserved groups
who lack necessary language skills, educational
preparation, or have no family members to
support them, have more difficulty entering the
system and are less successful in completing TE.

15. OECD
• In most countries there is little information to assess the extent of
inequities in tertiary education and there is little emphasis on equity
of outcomes
• There is strong evidence that access to and participation in tertiary
education is associated with the socio economic background of
students
• Some countries face challenges in making tertiary education
accessible to students with an immigrant background
• The inclusion of ethnic minorities poses serious challenges in some
countries

16. We know too little of the students we
perceive as being a problem in terms
of data.
We know almost nothing about the
worlds students represent, their
struggles, their dreams and hopes
and their life stories.

17. How inclusive should equity
policy be?

18. Social identities of all students & professionals
Edwin Hoffman
Ethnic group
Socio economic position Gender
Education Person Sexual
background
orientation
Family Religious group
Age

19. Effective policy & practice
in HE institutions
culture
sense of belonging
of students & staff
structure images & expectations

20. How?
Creating a culture of high
expectations and success:
the Pedagogy of excellence
University of California Los Angeles

21. Pedagogy of excellence
• High expectations building on students
strengths instead of deficiencies
• High level of support (peer mentoring, -tutoring,
- academic counseling)
• Early outreach and academic preparation
• Creating a campus climate where students feel
included and involved create a sense of
belonging
• Awareness on students cultural and social
identity

22. Implementation in the Netherlands
• 2002 – 2005 pilots at 7 universities across the
country
• 2006 – 2008 programs at 21 universities across
the country
• 2009 – 2011 programs at 10 universities in the
urban areas
All with the aim to improve study success of all
students and to create a more inclusive higher
education.

23. Effective policy & practice
in HE institutions
culture
sense of belonging
of students & staff
structure images & expectations

24. Thank you very much!
marytupan@echo-net.nl
www.echo-net.nl
www.ean-edu.org