Widening Participation

Research in the centre addresses widening participation as part of the complex development of human capital for a changing social world and knowledge economy.  Colleagues in CRLL share a major interest in issues of social inclusion, equity and diversity in higher education.  Taken together these issues have taken on a primary place in the changing global, economic and social context of 21st century learning futures. 

Core questions for the system and policy are how widening participation policies and practices work in terms of patterns of opportunity and discrimination, what sort of educational experiences and engagement are involved and what are the institutional values and cultures that characterise the emerging system of post-compulsory learning ?

CRLL’s research engages with these questions.  Outputs from our research and related development activities document a compelling case for the urgency and vibrancy of this part of the wider field of lifelong learning research and development.