Harvard Education PR International Perspectives in Higher Education: Balancing Access, Equity, and Cost (Educational Innovations Series)

International Perspectives in Higher Education offers a balanced perspective on how different countries approach key policies and what the United States can learn from those programs. Jason D. Delisle and Alex Usher have gathered a diverse group of experts to examine systems across the globe with a focus on the trade-offs between access, cost, and quality. The book explores a set of cross-cutting global topics such as free tuition, restricted versus unrestricted access, and the structure of student loans, drawing out the similarities and differences across countries. It also provides single-country case studies from Chile, Australia, and Brazil, paying close attention to the context in which specific reforms arose and the unintended consequences of implementation. Too often, programs found in other countries are presented as silver-bullet solutions to be lifted from one country and grafted on to the US system. This book, however, advocates for a careful examination of the strategies other countries are enacting―the political, historical, and demographic context, as well as the trade-offs among different outcomes―before deciding whether they would work here. Delisle and Usher provide an understanding of the interplay among various higher education reforms and the opportunities and challenges involved in undertaking similar reforms in the US context. Given the tremendous challenges facing the US system, their work establishes a solid foundation for policy debates moving forward. From the Inside Flap International Perspectives in Higher Education offers a balanced perspective on how different countries approach key policies and what the United States can learn from those programs. The book explores a set of cross-cutting global topics such as free tuition, restricted versus unrestricted access, and the structure of student loans, drawing out the similarities and differences across countries. Too often, programs found in other countries are presented as silver-bullet solutions to be grafted on to the US system. This volume, however, advocates for a careful examination of the strategies other countries are enacting--the political, historical, and demographic context, as well as the trade-offs among different outcomes--before deciding whether they would work here. "The book brings important international insights concerning two key policy themes in higher education--access and funding--to the American debate. Too often, Americans ignore the experience of other countries. This book specifically aims at providing an international perspective to domestic issues. We can indeed learn a lot from others." --Philip G. Altbach, research professor and founding director, Center for International Higher Education, Boston College "The tendency of US higher education reformers to propose importing policies such as free tuition and income-driven student loan repayment from other countries often goes unchallenged. But what if such measures come with many complications and unintended consequences? In this illuminating collection, edited by two of our savviest observers of US and global higher education finance, readers will find many cautionary tales--and a healthy respect for the trade-offs and complexities of real-world efforts to expand college access." --Ben Wildavsky, independent higher education consultant and author of The Great Brain Race: How Global Universities Are Reshaping the World CONTRIBUTORS Andrés Bernasconi Bruce Johnstone Daniel C. Levy Jon Marcus Anna Mountford-Zimdars Dante J. Salto Vicki Thomson Jason D. Delisle is a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Alex Usher is president of Higher Education Strategy Associates. International Perspectives in Higher Education is a volume in the Educational Innovations series. From the Back Cover International Perspectives in Higher Education offers a balanced perspective on how different countries approach key polici