Access, Equity and Capacity in Asia Pacific Higher Education

IFE 2020

Leadership Institute

February 23-March 6, 2009

John Hawkins and Deane Neubauer

Exploring CapacityExploring Capacity

• Common understandings of capacityCommon understandings of capacity

• Structural problems with measurementStructural problems with measurement

• Implications for linking capacity Implications for linking capacity with access and equity with access and equity considerationsconsiderations

• The importance of measurement for The importance of measurement for planning and quality assuranceplanning and quality assurance

• All these yield the “dilemma of All these yield the “dilemma of measuring capacity”measuring capacity”

• A new capacity paradigmA new capacity paradigm

Conventional Conventional Understandings of CapacityUnderstandings of Capacity

• Universal law of higher education: the Universal law of higher education: the more capacity an institution has, the more capacity an institution has, the better it is.better it is.

• More is better!More is better!

• The presumption that capacity is a The presumption that capacity is a necessary precondition of accessnecessary precondition of access

• The further presumption that capacity The further presumption that capacity is invariably a precondition of is invariably a precondition of qualityquality

Some Further Dimensions of Some Further Dimensions of CapacityCapacity

• Measuring capacity not very sensible Measuring capacity not very sensible without knowing its purposeswithout knowing its purposes

• Capacity is always capacity Capacity is always capacity forfor something and exists within politicized something and exists within politicized contextscontexts

• For example capacity and access are For example capacity and access are always contested terrain--particular always contested terrain--particular interest groups will define access in interest groups will define access in terms of their specific needs.terms of their specific needs.

• E.g. HE administrators define and E.g. HE administrators define and implicitly measure capacity differently implicitly measure capacity differently than legislators or governmental than legislators or governmental administratorsadministrators

Conceptualizing Capacity Conceptualizing Capacity MeasurementMeasurement

• Understandings of capacity co-vary with Understandings of capacity co-vary with structural conditions, including structural conditions, including demography. Under-capacity, Optimal-demography. Under-capacity, Optimal-capacity, and Over-capacitycapacity, and Over-capacity

• These in turn yield notions of These in turn yield notions of “appropriate capacity” for a “given “appropriate capacity” for a “given situation”situation”

• For HEI’s two results occur: (a) what For HEI’s two results occur: (a) what are they meant to do in response to are they meant to do in response to such situations (e.g. expand, contract, such situations (e.g. expand, contract, differentiate, change mission) and (b) differentiate, change mission) and (b) what resource streams are available for what resource streams are available for the determination of direction?the determination of direction?

The Dilemma of Situational The Dilemma of Situational DeterminationDetermination

• Because capacity is always situationally Because capacity is always situationally determined,determined,

• its effective measure is always (literally!) a its effective measure is always (literally!) a moving target. moving target.

• What is acceptable capacity within one set of What is acceptable capacity within one set of access aspirations will be inadequate in anotheraccess aspirations will be inadequate in another

• Because of this situational uncertainly, HEI’s, Because of this situational uncertainly, HEI’s, accreditation and QA bodies tend to develop accreditation and QA bodies tend to develop measures of capacity based on inputs; measures of capacity based on inputs; institutions and governments seek to increase institutions and governments seek to increase quality, achieve access and implement equity by quality, achieve access and implement equity by managing inputsmanaging inputs

Making Progress on Capacity Making Progress on Capacity UnderstandingsUnderstandings

• Ideally we want an understanding of Ideally we want an understanding of capacity which is capacity which is dynamicdynamic

• That is: our understanding of That is: our understanding of effectiveeffective capacity can change with capacity can change with respect to:respect to:• The institutional purposes to which it is The institutional purposes to which it is meant to refer, e.g., alignment with meant to refer, e.g., alignment with access, teaching institutions, research access, teaching institutions, research institutions, undergraduate, graduate, institutions, undergraduate, graduate, professional education, etc.professional education, etc.

• And, the functional components of And, the functional components of institutions within which it is contained, institutions within which it is contained, e.g., teaching, research, service, e.g., teaching, research, service, administrative efficiency, etc.administrative efficiency, etc.

Toward a New Capacity ParadigmToward a New Capacity Paradigm

• A new paradigm would combine the A new paradigm would combine the sense of a dynamic notion of sense of a dynamic notion of capacity withcapacity with

• An understanding of the relative, An understanding of the relative, and differentiated nature of and differentiated nature of institutional effectivenessinstitutional effectiveness

• This was the task the Western This was the task the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Association of Schools and Colleges set for itself in developing a new set for itself in developing a new model of US accreditation in 2000.model of US accreditation in 2000.

The Paradigmatic BreakthroughThe Paradigmatic Breakthrough

• From inputs to a linkage between From inputs to a linkage between inputs and outputsinputs and outputs

• The idea of “core commitments”: The idea of “core commitments”: institutional capacity and an institutional capacity and an institution’s concept of institution’s concept of educational effectivenesseducational effectiveness

• Central focus on qualityCentral focus on quality

• From stipulation to inquiryFrom stipulation to inquiry

Variations on Equity and Variations on Equity and Access in Asian HEAccess in Asian HE

• BackgroundBackground• Assumption: nations develop=more Assumption: nations develop=more access to HEaccess to HE

• Post WWII optimistic vision: Post WWII optimistic vision: increased access to HE meant increased access to HE meant reduction in inequalitiesreduction in inequalities

• 1970’s cynicism sets in: gap between 1970’s cynicism sets in: gap between rich and poor continued to increaserich and poor continued to increase

• Failure to account for internal and Failure to account for internal and external structural contradictionsexternal structural contradictions

TYPES OF EQUITY & TYPES OF EQUITY & EqualityEquality

• EQUALITY OF ACCESSEQUALITY OF ACCESS

• EQUALITY OF SURVIVALEQUALITY OF SURVIVAL

• EQUALITY OF OUTPUTEQUALITY OF OUTPUT

• EQUALITY OF OUTCOMEEQUALITY OF OUTCOME

Income Related EquityIncome Related Equity

•INCOME DISTRIBUTION AND INCOME DISTRIBUTION AND EQUALITYEQUALITY

•CAPABILITY POVERTYCAPABILITY POVERTY

•FINANCIAL BURDENS ON POOR: FINANCIAL BURDENS ON POOR: FEES AND HOUSEHOLD FEES AND HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURESEXPENDITURES

Region Related EquityRegion Related Equity

•REGIONAL URBAN-RURAL REGIONAL URBAN-RURAL DISPARITIESDISPARITIES

•REGIONAL DISPARITY WITHIN REGIONAL DISPARITY WITHIN COUNTRIESCOUNTRIES

•REASONS FOR REGIONAL REASONS FOR REGIONAL DISPARITIESDISPARITIES

•URBAN POVERTYURBAN POVERTY

Socio-Cultural Related Socio-Cultural Related EquityEquity

• ACCESS AND EQUITY IN EDUCATION FOR ACCESS AND EQUITY IN EDUCATION FOR ETHNIC MINORITIESETHNIC MINORITIES

• FOR LINGUISTIC GROUPSFOR LINGUISTIC GROUPS

• FOR RELIGIOUS GROUPSFOR RELIGIOUS GROUPS

• FROM A GENDER PERSPECTIVEFROM A GENDER PERSPECTIVE

• OVERALL ISSUE OF DISPARATE VALUES, OVERALL ISSUE OF DISPARATE VALUES, BELIEFS, AND AWARENESSBELIEFS, AND AWARENESS

• CASTECASTE

Structural ResponsesStructural Responses

•Tracking mechanismsTracking mechanisms

•Public-private debate, Public-private debate, Neoliberalism as policyNeoliberalism as policy

•Shadow educational systems Shadow educational systems one outcome: one outcome: juku, buxiban, juku, buxiban, hakwonhakwon

Some Regional Cases: Cost Some Regional Cases: Cost IssuesIssues

Who pays, how much, Who pays, how much, mechanisms for financing HE?mechanisms for financing HE?

““Cost-sharing” now present in Cost-sharing” now present in most systemsmost systems

But in a context of financial But in a context of financial austerity, declining faculty austerity, declining faculty morale, student unrestmorale, student unrest

SUMMARYSUMMARY

• Low Cost; State Subsidized: Low Cost; State Subsidized: Singapore, Indonesia, VietnamSingapore, Indonesia, Vietnam

• High Cost; Low State Support: High Cost; Low State Support: Korea, PhilippinesKorea, Philippines

• Mid-range Cost; Some State Mid-range Cost; Some State Support: Taiwan, Japan, ChinaSupport: Taiwan, Japan, China

• Region-wide: growing tuition, Region-wide: growing tuition, rising costs; privatization; yet, rising costs; privatization; yet, cost-sharing schemes by Statecost-sharing schemes by State

ResponsesResponses

• DevelopmentDevelopment

• PhilanthropyPhilanthropy

• Alumni developmentAlumni development

• Private sector partnershipsPrivate sector partnerships

• More transparency for families and More transparency for families and studentsstudents

• Will the access gap widen or narrow?Will the access gap widen or narrow?