Equity in access and success must be a global HE priority

Inequality in access to and success in higher education persists in every country, regardless of wealth or geography, according to Drawing the Global Access Map 2, the most comprehensive global study of participation and attainment to date. Produced by the World Access to Higher Education Network (WAHEN) with support from the Lumina Foundation, the report was launched on 28 October 2025 at the World Access to Higher Education Day 2025 (WAHED) Conference, hosted in hybrid format at the University of the Western Cape. Drawing on data from over 200 countries and territories, it shows that students from low-income, first-generation and marginalised backgrounds remain persistently under-represented, despite overall growth in enrolment.

The study finds that gender equality remains elusive, with women often enrolling at higher rates but still facing completion gaps, while students from higher-income families are more than twice as likely to enter university. It calls for stronger global cooperation, improved data sharing, and national targets for access and attainment by socioeconomic status, as well as the explicit inclusion of equity in post-2030 global development goals. Lead author Graeme Atherton, Director of WAHEN, stressed that evidence-based knowledge is essential to counter misinformation and sustain progress on equity.

WAHED 2025 marked the return of a global movement that began in 2018 and now operates year-round through WAHEN, engaging universities, policymakers, researchers and students worldwide. The conference showcased system-level reforms and institutional practices from countries such as Mauritius, Brazil, Australia and South Africa that are delivering measurable gains in access and success. Student voices, including refugee scholars supported by the UNHCR, powerfully illustrated the human impact of inclusive higher education. Overall, the event reinforced the message that access alone is not enough—success, belonging and institutional transformation must be central. As the world looks beyond 2030, WAHEN is positioning equity as a defining measure of progress, calling for collective action so that higher education becomes a right, not a privilege.