A Discussion on the Key Themes of the Social Dimension

Abstract

The social dimension of the Bologna Process mainly deals with achieving participative equity through ensuring equal access to, progress in and completion of higher education studies in general, and specifically for under-represented groups. Ensuring equal opportunities to access higher education and widening access have been on the agendas of national governments since long before the Bologna Process. These policy issues gained importance with the massification of higher education, and continue with the obstacles of including under-represented groups of societies in higher education. This chapter looks at the scholarly debates on equality of opportunity, expansion of higher education, participation policies since the 1950s and the equality factors in the context of higher education.