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EPHEA (Equity Practitioners in Higher Education Australasia) is the professional incorporated organisation for university and TAFE equity practitioners who work in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific region. EPHEA aims to strengthen and support equal opportunity and affirmative action programs for students and staff in higher education.

EURASHE is the European Association of Institutions in Higher Education that offer professionally orientated programmes and are engaged in applied research within the Bologna cycles. EURASHE represents universities of applied sciences and university colleges; other members of EURASHE are national and sectorial associations of higher education institutions, and other individual institutions, such as universities.

The European Students’ Union (ESU) is the umbrella organisation of 45 National Unions of Students (NUS) from 38 countries. The NUSes are open to all students in their respective country regardless of political persuasion, religion, ethnic or cultural origin, sexual orientation or social standing. Our members are also student-run, autonomous, representative and operate according to democratic principles.

The main aim of the EUROSTUDENT project is to collate comparable data on the social dimension of European higher education. It focuses on the socio-economic background and on the living conditions of students, but it also investigates temporary international mobility. The project strives to provide reliable and insightful cross-country comparisons.

Going to study abroad for a period of time is a challenging time for young people, as they are facing an unfamiliar environment, a new language and culture to name but a few things. In addition, it can be more even more difficult for students with disabilities who may face inaccessible environments or disability-related stereotypes. As recognition of such challenges, ESN developed the ExchangeAbility project to make our organisation accessible for students with disabilities, to help remove obstacles to participation in exchange and promote the opportunities available.

The Global Access to Post-Secondary (GAPS) Initiative builds the global case for increasing access to post-secondary education for those from all social backgrounds, exchange knowledge and practice across countries to improve our understanding of how to meet the access challenge and advocate to policymakers and senior leaders across all sectors. Gaps in awareness, advocacy, data on good practices, and the compelling need for new visions of society that portray groups underrepresented at the post-secondary level from a point of strength, an ‘asset-based’ perspective, rather than from the point of view of their deficiencies, visions that acknowledge the need for inclusive pedagogies and inclusive curriculums, these are the among the many and complex issues that will shape the work of GAPS.

The network of Higher Education Reform Experts (HEREs) was established in the framework of the Tempus programme and continues to be supported through Erasmus+. These experts, appointed by the national authorities in the former Tempus Partner Countries, constitute a pool of expertise to promote and enhance the modernisation of higher education. They participate in the development of policies and reforms in their countries and contribute to the training of local stakeholders. Their activities consist, for example, in organising and participating in seminars, writing articles and reports, or providing advice to individual institutions and policy makers.

The ICT4IAL project is a multi-disciplinary network of European and international partners that represent both learning and ICT communities. This network was co-funded by the European Commission under the Lifelong Learning Transversal Programme, Key Activity 3: Information and Communication Technologies. Improving educational policy and practice for learners with special educational needs as well as improving the accessibility of ICT and information for learning is within the main interest of all ICT4IAL partners. This takes into account issues such as equal opportunities, accessibility and the promotion of quality of education, whilst recognising that there are differences in the countries’ policies, practices and educational contexts.

The UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (IESALC) is an organization of UNESCO devoted to the promotion of higher education, helping to implement in the Latin American and Caribbean region the program that, as for higher education, approves biannually the UNESCO General Conference. Its fundamental mission is to contribute to the development and transformation of the tertiary education through the reinforcement of a work plan that, among other purposes, attempts to be an instrument to support the management of change and the required transformations in order that higher education in the region becomes an effective promoter of a culture of peace that allows to make viable - in an age of globalization - the human sustainable development based on principles of justice, equity, freedom, solidarity, democracy and respect of the human rights.

The Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS) is an independent, non-profit research Institute. The institute brings together expertise from economists, sociologists, and political scientists, among others, to address fundamental economic and social problems and policy choices. I

The Institute for the Development of Education advocates a system of higher education that ensures equal educational opportunities, adheres to the principle of quality assurance, promotes international cooperation, supports lifelong learning and meets both the needs of individual and society. The Institute for the Development of Education contributes to the development of higher education policy, provides expert support to institutions, connects domestic and international experts and enables individuals in Croatia and the region to achieve their educational goals.

IAU, founded in 1950, is the UNESCO-based worldwide association of higher education institutions. It brings together institutions and organisations from some 120 countries for reflection and action on common concerns and collaborates with various international, regional and national bodies active in higher education. Its services are available on the priority basis to Members but also to organisations, institutions and authorities concerned with higher education, as well as to individual policy and decision-makers, specialists, administrators, teachers, researchers and students.

The Melbourne Social Equity Institute (MSEI) supports interdisciplinary research on social equity issues across the full spectrum of social life including health, law, education, housing, work and transport. We bring together researchers from across the University of Melbourne to identify unjust or unfair practices that lead to social inequity and work towards finding ways to ameliorate disadvantage. MSEI prioritises rights-based and interdisciplinary research, involving partners from the community and giving those with a lived experience of disadvantage voice in the focus, design and outcomes of research. Interdisciplinary research means drawing on the strengths of each of our university’s faculties in order to better solve complex problems of disadvantage. Involving community partners ensures that research is relevant to those outside the academy.

When students plan for higher education, one important element to consider is how much it will cost and whether they can receive any financial support. In a Europe where people can study in other countries, reliable information on the costs of higher education is essential. This report aims to provide both an overview of the main features of national fee and support systems and more detailed information on each individual country. Forty-two national sheets present the reality of fees and financial support available to students in public or government-dependent private higher education institutions in short cycle, first and second cycle students in 2016/17. In particular, the publication describes the range of fees charged to national, EU and international students and specifies the categories of students that are required to pay, and those that may be exempt. Similarly, it explains the types and amounts of public support available in the form of grants and loans, as well as tax benefits and family allowances where applicable. Information covers the 28 EU Member States as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Turkey.

Every day teachers, school leaders, researchers, organisations and students discover new ideas and methods to make learning more effective, interesting and motivating. This might have a small impact or change entire lives. But rarely are those ideas shared and taken up by others. The European Commission launched Open Education Europa to capture these ideas and ensure that anyone from across the EU can find, discuss and learn how to bring innovation to the world of education.

L’Observatoire national de la vie étudiante (OVE) est un organisme public d’études et de recherche créé en 1989 par le ministre en charge de l’enseignement supérieur. Placé auprès du Centre national des œuvres universitaires et scolaires (CNOUS), il a pour mission de donner une information aussi complète, détaillée et objective que possible sur les conditions de vie des étudiants et sur leur rapport avec le déroulement des études, de manière à éclairer la réflexion politique et sociale et à aider à la prise de décisions.

The Society for Research into Higher Education is a UK-based international learned society concerned to advance understanding of higher education, especially through the insights, perspectives and knowledge offered by systematic research and scholarship. The Society aims to be the leading international society in the field, as to both the support and the dissemination of research.

The Access Observatory at the Centre for Inclusion and Collaborative Partnerships pursues research and scholarship for widening access, participation and success, and aims to make a significant contribution to developing knowledge and theory that informs policy and transforms practice. The Observatory provides a focal point for scholarly activity across the wider institution, which has a wide and varied interest in issues of inclusion, widening participation, lifelong learning and curriculum development.

Widening Participation (WP) to higher education is a strategic priority for the UK and Scottish governments, the higher education sector in general and the University of Edinburgh in particular. WP aims to address the discrepancies in the take-up of higher education opportunities between different social groups. Therefore, they work to raise aspirations and educational attainment among prospective students from under-represented groups to: (1) prepare them for higher education, (2) ensure success of their programme of study, (3) improve their employment prospects, (4) open possibilities for postgraduate study, (5) give them opportunities to return to learning throughout their lives.