Open AccessPublic Funding of Higher Education and Student Access
Author(s) -
Fredua Kwasi-Agyeman
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
comparative and international higher education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2151-0407
pISSN - 2151-0393
DOI - 10.32674/jcihe.v12i6s1.2666
Subject(s) - public funding , public university , higher education , public access , political science , access to higher education , face (sociological concept) , cape , qualitative research , public administration , public relations , sociology , economic growth , economics , social science , law
This study explores the question of how two public universities in Africa seek to improve student access, given the decline in public funding. Using resource dependence theory as a guide, qualitative approach via semi-structured interviews and documentary analysis are used to gather data to explore the study’s objective. To examine the reduction in public funding and student access, this study first examines the changes in public funding and student access at the University of the Western Cape and the University of Ghana from 2007 to 2016. This is followed by an analysis of factors that influence the changes in public funding, and their implications for student access at the two universities. The last to be explored is the actual strategies that the University of the Western Cape and the University of Ghana have employed to improve student access in the face of cutback in public funding.