Approaches to Educational Equity in Student Admission in the Higher Education System: A Comparative Study

Document Type : Research paper

Authors

1 Associate Professor of Higher Education Management, Malayer University, Malayer, Iran

2 Ph.D. in Educational Management, Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, Tehran, Iran

3 Associate Professor of Production Management, Imam Sadiq University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Educational equity, as a component of social equity, seeks the equitable distribution of educational opportunities and resources to address inequalities and enhance widespread participation. To achieve this goal, many countries implement various policies such as affirmative action and positive discrimination, with quota systems typically serving as one of the primary methods of their application. Consequently, the main objective of the present study was to compare the underlying philosophies, approaches, and implementation methods of educational equity in student admissions within the higher education systems of Iran and selected countries (the United States, Austria, Japan, Turkey, Brazil, South Africa, India, and Malaysia). To attain this objective, a qualitative comparative approach was employed, relying on George Bereday's four-step method (description, interpretation, juxtaposition, and comparison). Data were collected and analyzed through a review of academic articles, documents, and policy reports related to the higher education systems of Iran and the selected countries. The findings revealed that the foundational philosophy of educational equity in the higher education systems of the United States, India, Malaysia, Brazil, and South Africa emphasizes the elimination of racial discrimination, whereas in Iran, Turkey, Japan, and Austria, it focuses on addressing deprivation and inequalities. Furthermore, all the countries studied, except Iran, utilized affirmative action policies for implementing educational equity, while Iran applied positive discrimination policies. The overall conclusion of this research stresses the necessity of formulating educational equity policies tailored to the local conditions of each country. Although the approaches employed by the studied countries can serve as models for reforming policies in our country, uncritical imitation of these models and approaches without considering the historical, cultural, and social contexts will not yield the desired effectiveness. Accordingly, it is essential to revise the mechanisms and timing of quota applications in our country, as quotas should be temporary, and their ultimate goal must be to establish equal opportunities without reliance on special privileges. Additionally, continuous monitoring of the effectiveness of quota methods and their alignment with the objectives of educational equity is crucial to ensure fair access to higher education and prevent the emergence of new injustices.

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References

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