A top uni­ver­si­ty with a diverse student body – Old and New Inequalities

Massification of higher education has not led to social equality or upward social mobility the way many had hoped for. The pressures for uni­ver­si­ties to be com­pe­ti­ti­ve in the global neo­li­be­ral race for funds and talents often outweigh the com­mit­ments to social inclusion in access and retention of students. On the other hand, students are also incre­a­sing­ly competing for specific insti­tu­ti­ons and programs. This session is dedicated to the seemingly irre­con­cilable pressures of inclusion and excel­lence in higher education from the per­spec­ti­ve of national states and how they manage their overall higher education systems. Recent policy changes addres­sing these issues in Portugal will illu­stra­te the attempts to address these chal­lenges. Registration.