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JAPP: Editorial

Volume 5, Number 2, Spring 2008

MARY STUART
Kingston University

This edition of JAPP focuses on the idea of mass higher education (Trow, 1973 and Scott, 1995). The massification of higher education has been seen as a significant way of increasing access to the sector. Higher education has changed substantially since Martin Trow wrote his treatise on massification in the 1970s and we have seen significant changes in the nature of higher education. This process has increased the diversity of students in HE but it has not addressed all the social equity issues to make a representative higher education system. The articles look at massification as an issue which has had a number of different consequences, some positive and some not so positive. It has changed the nature of higher education provision and its location. It is important to see debates about access to HE in relation to the broader context of massification and these articles offer an analysis of current policy; including the growth of a region al perspective (Duke), new policy horizons in Europe (Scott), issues and concerns for further education or TAFE in Australia (Wheelahan) and an analysis of government policy for higher education in Australia (Moodie) and England (Locke). As a group these articles provide an overview of current debates about HE policy and offer context which is often neglected in discussions about access, but if we do not take account of wider policy developments it is unlikely we will be able to influence policy development and these articles offer some strong critique of policy which should inform future thinking about access.

REFERENCES:
Scott, P (1995) The Meanings of Mass Higher Education, Buckingham: SRHE.
Trow, M (1973) Problems in the Transition from Elite to Mass Higher Education, General Report on the Conference on Future Structures of Post-Secondary Education, Paris: OECD