ABSTRACT
The terms tertiary education, post-compulsory education and training and higher education are used in different national contexts to describe formal educational activity taking place beyond primary and secondary school. In this chapter, tertiary education describes the whole range of such activity, encompassing training for and at work, community-and institution-based further and higher education and including:
■ academic study for sub-degree, undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications; ■ institution-based vocational education and training; ■ continuing professional development at work and/or college or university; ■ on the job training;
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Throughout the industrialised world, tertiary education is at the centre of debates about the link between education and economic competitiveness, and the role of education and training in distributing life chances, economic and social power. This chapter begins by defining the scope of the tertiary sector and the ideological underpinnings of policy and practice in this area. It then presents some key themes and debates in this field which centre on:
■ access and participation; ■ skills, knowledge and the economy; ■ learning and academic engagement.
