NSF's new Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2022-2026 was released on March 28, 2022. To achieve NSF's vision of "A nation that leads the world in science and engineering research and innovation, to the benefit of all, without barriers to participation," the Plan lays out four strategic goals. The first, "Empower STEM talent to fully…

There is a prevailing consensus within literature that higher education plays a pivotal role in national reconstruction and development. As the primary custodians of knowledge, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) assume a critical responsibility in producing highly skilled graduates, generating knowledge that is pertinent to economic growth and…

This study explores accessibility barriers in higher education (HE), by centering the voices of 50 disabled students. Drawing on the frameworks of critical disability studies (CDS) and in particular disability justice, we argue that access without belonging is not enough; disabled students need to be fully included in institutional life. Weaving…

Academic debate highlights the need to develop suitable teaching and training practices to accompany the implementation of universal design for learning (UDL) and inclusive higher education policies. This study addresses this need by investigating the relationship between knowledge and utilization of inclusive pedagogy, on the one hand, and the…

Digital transformation (DT) has become essential for higher education institutions (HEIs), with its value becoming increasingly evident since the COVID-19 pandemic. This holds true for HEIs in developing countries as well, where DT is a strategic priority despite the challenges posed by the digital divide. Leadership is recognized as both a…

This paper critically interrogates the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in relation to higher education in low-income countries. While the SDG Goal 4, Target 4.3, calls for ensuring 'equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university' around the world by 2030, the…

This study examines the legislative framework of the Ethiopian higher education sector in light of the corresponding roles and expectations it assigns to and the distinctions it draws between public and private institutions of higher learning. The findings reveal that public and private institutions are equally expected to deliver similar…

The myriad benefits of globally engaged and intercultural learning are well-documented yet few college students, especially those from traditionally underserved communities, actually engage in these programs. To be more inclusive and make this type of learning more accessible to all students, specifically first-generation, lower socio-economic,…

This paper argues that access to quality education and skills development programs for refugees, returnees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) is not only one of the fundamental human rights that states and non-state actors have obligations to fulfill; it is also an integral part of sustainable development efforts which will have significant…

The aim of this study is to empirically investigate the reasons for regional disparities in educational expansion in Germany (i.e., rising rates of general university entrance qualification) on the basis of theoretically relevant influencing factors: changes in school policies, changes in social structure, or general social modernization…

As education and training providers grapple with increasing demand for micro-credentials, guidance on how to improve providers' capacity and capability to deliver a high standard of learning along with profitable outcomes is needed. This study sought to develop a maturity model that could assist higher education providers in distinguishing their…

The "Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2022" contains the Budget Message of the President, information on the President's priorities, and summary tables. The Budget includes two historic plans the President has already put forward--the American Jobs Plan and the American Families Plan--and outlines a package of…

Ensuring that students of all backgrounds are smoothly transitioned through the stages of access, participation and completion in higher education has been the focus of much public policy and research in recent decades. Subsequently, public policy discourse treats those who do not complete their higher education degrees as unsuccessful, despite a…

A primary focus within the field of higher education in prison is to ensure that federal, state, and institution-level polices helping to develop and sustain programs remain durable. Current justifications for policies in support of programs often rely on a predominantly recidivist lens, advocating for programs on the grounds of their likelihood…

Satellite university campuses -- whereby established universities decentralise part of their activities, often to areas previously lacking a university -- contribute to the diversification of university systems. While satellite campuses, due to their small scale and limited resources, might perform some activities less efficiently than their…