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This chapter examines widening access to higher education in Sweden from the 1960s onwards and contrasts the influence of two different political ideologies — social democracy and neo-liberalism. It provides an overview of the higher education system and student support. Sweden has made extensive use of alternative routes into higher education to enable access for those lacking traditional entry qualifications. These routes are outlined, changes over time are described and Sweden is compared to other European countries drawing on Eurostudent data. These data indicate that Sweden has made considerable advances in widening access through the use of alternative routes. However, the conclusion questions the extent to which current higher education policy, influenced by neo-liberalism, can lead to further progress.

This chapter focuses on a case study of attempts at one South African university to widen access to adult learners from diverse race, class and gender backgrounds. It locates the education of adults within a post-apartheid policy framework aimed at transforming higher education on the one hand and pressures on universities brought about by changes in the global economy on the other. It then outlines the history of adult education programmes at the University of Cape Town, an institution that has an elite, colonial history and that privileges research over teaching. The chapter then considers the results of a 2008 survey of adult learners' experiences of the institutional culture and institution's systems, and the ways in which these present barriers to adult learners. It critically assesses three strategies adopted by staff on the ‘periphery’ of the institution to widen access to adult learners; these focus on: changing the institutional culture, developing policies and processes of recognition of prior learning (RPL) and transforming the curriculum. The chapter concludes that programme innovations have been possible with the aim of ensuring that curriculum is responsive to adult learners; however, widening access and increasing participation for adult learners also needs to be accompanied by significant changes in how the university is administered and run and that while alternative access routes into the university are theoretically possible, practical and political barriers remain.

This chapter is concerned with access to bank finance by ethnic minority businesses (EMBs) in the U.K., focusing particularly on the process of decision-making by bank managers with respect to credit applications by entrepreneurs from ethnic minority groups. The results reported in this chapter are taken from a major U.K. study that included two large scale surveys of EMB owners and a white control group, case studies with ethnic minority entrepreneurs and a programme of interviews with business support agencies. Whilst referring to other evidence, this chapter focuses on the findings from a series of interviews with bank representatives. The U.K. study was funded by the British Bankers’ Association (BBA), the Bank of England and the Small Business Service and supported by the Commission for Racial Equality.

Purpose – This case study describes the Trinity Inclusive Curriculum (TIC) strategy, which aims to embed inclusion within Trinity College Dublin (TCD) through the creation of an online application for self-evaluating the inclusivity of academic practices, and a supporting resource website.

TIC arose in response to the additional needs arising from increasing diversity within TCD, resulting from national and institutional policies aiming to widen participation in higher education.

Approach – TIC involved three phases.

Phase I reviewed the academic environment within TCD, primarily through a student survey. Following this review, TIC developed a draft teaching and learning self-evaluation tool, and piloted it within 12 TCD courses in phase II. Pilots involved stakeholder feedback (staff and student), resource review, classroom observation, completion of the draft tool and engagement with the resulting action report. Following the pilot, TIC created an online version of the tool.

Phase III is underway, and seeks to embed this tool within TCD policies and processes, and to promote its use elsewhere.

Findings – Extensive student feedback has shown that there are common barriers for all students. Common themes include difficulties finding information, and difficulties arising from a lack of coordination between academic, administrative, and service areas. The TIC self-evaluation tool allows staff to reflect on, evaluate, and respond to issues causing student difficulty.

Value – TIC is working to embed this tool within TCD and elsewhere. Through the TIC tool, TCD, and other participating institutions can continue to enhance the inclusivity of their academic environments.

Higher education (HE) systems in Europe have been identified as an essential element for promoting economic competitiveness since the Bologna Declaration in 1999. The aim of the Bologna Process was to expand access to educational opportunities, fostering participation in post-compulsory education by creating the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Inequalities in training because of geographic, ethnic or social origin, and inequalities in job opportunities, salaries, and incomes are critical dimensions of social development in HE. The development of policies, including those concerning education, that extend access to opportunities is essential to prevent such exclusion becoming permanent. The Access4All project aims to promote the educational and social inclusion of underrepresented groups as well as of non-traditional learners.

In this chapter, the project’s main results are reviewed, with: (1) a brief overview of inclusion policies and practices in European HE; (2) an operational definition of “good practice” and criteria for selecting examples of good practice for inclusion in HE; (3) a self-assessment tool enabling the characterization of institutional capacity for innovation and of inclusion policies and practices; and (4) a model for promoting strategic planning, focusing on inclusion in HE.

This chapter explores the characteristics of emerging environmental movement organizations in China, and more specifically the role of guanxi – or personal networks – in Chinese environmental activism. While organizational networks of environmental NGOs are still weak in Chinese environmental activism, personal networks of environmental activists are instrumental in building the first sprouts of a green civil society. We explore this via an in-depth case study of relatively successful environmental activism to halt the construction of a number of hydro-electric projects on the Nu River. The case study illustrates that in China, more so than in western countries, informal personal networks, rather than formal organizational networks, play a crucial role in the organization and success of contemporary environmental campaigns. This is partly explained by the immature environmental movement, and partly by the specifics of Chinese social networks.

We focus on the determinants of the choice between international joint ventures and acquisitions when entering emerging countries. We empirically explore if subregional variation in the political regime matters for the entry mode decision of foreign investors. Based on an analysis of 151 foreign entries into Russia for the period 2002–2008, our results indicate that the entry mode choice is linked to regional variation in the level of democracy. Foreign entries in more democratic regions are more likely to take the form of joint ventures, and vice versa.