The role of the State : the question of fair access to higher education

Given the massive expansion of higher education systems around the world and the private benefits associated with obtaining a university degree, there is constant pressure on higher education sectors to ensure fair access to universities and colleges. Nonetheless, there is significant disagreement on what exactly constitutes fair access to higher education. This thesis presents two conflicting contemporary conceptions of social justice that have varying implications for the development and evaluation of existing access schemes. The analysis of three case studies, the United Kingdom, Germany and Portugal demonstrates that principles of both conceptions of justice can be found in today’s higher education systems. It is the aim of this thesis to elaborate on the practical implications of theoretical approaches of justice and to determine which of the analyzed countries has established a system of fair access to higher education