Improving Higher Education of All Students: Lessons from the United States

Nation-states vary tremendously in terms of their historical, demographic, economic, political, and cultural characteristics and contexts. And they differ in terms of their current levels of educational attainment and the characteristics of their educational systems. Despite the differences, higher education policymakers, college and university leaders, and educational researchers in many nations are asking similar questions about higher education. Among the most important questions are: How can a nation increase its overall level of higher education attainment? And, how can a nation close persisting gaps in attainment that persist across demographic groups? I have developed further appreciation for the insights that may be gleaned from comparative research through a multi-year “state review project”. Despite the countless differences, many nations are grappling with the questions: How can a nation increase its overall level of higher education attainment? And, how can a nation close persisting gaps in attainment across demographic groups? This paper seeks to inform understanding of these questions by providing an overview of related data and research on higher education in the United States. This paper suggests the utility of drawing comparisons not just between the United States and other nations, but also between individual U.S. states and other nations