Access to Higher Education in Europe. Comparative Background Documents and Report of the Conference.

Overview & Synopsis

The Conference of Ministers of Education of European Member States of Unesco on Access to Higher Education was held in Vienna from November 20 to 25, 1967. Part I of the document contains 3 working papers that were presented to the conference for discussion and subsequent recommendations. The first, "Comparative Statistical Data on Access to Higher Education in Europe" discusses the factors which influenced the development of higher education after the Second World War, the rapid increase in student enrollments, the democratization of higher education, and higher education graduates during the period 1957 - 1963. Eleven comparative tables accompany this presentation. The second, "Access to Higher Education from the Point of View of the Social, Economic and Cultural Origins of Students" analyzes student enrollments by social strata, cultural background, intellectual ability and academic achievement, financial resources, sex, educational levels, and regional differences. This paper identifies the main trends emerging in European education and suggests measures for needed educational reform. The third, "Access to Higher Education in Relation to the Present and Foreseeable Requirements of the Development of the Community" discusses the planning and organization of access to higher education, with emphasis on the relationship between higher education and socio-economic growth. Part II of the document presents a report of the conference, including 12 general considerations and 8 recommendations. (WM)