Evaluation of inclusion in higher education through indicators

Abstract

Universities are spaces that certain students struggle to access or where they find outstanding obstacles to remain. Moving towards the construction of universities where all can learn and participate in equal opportunities is an unplayable task that many institutions do not know how to face. This work aims to design a system of indicators that facilitates universities to self-assessing the conditions they offer their students with respect to inclusion. With a methodology based on the literature review and validation of indicators by 18 experts using the Delphi method, a total of 30 indicators are presented grouped into six key dimensions. These dimensions refer to institutional culture, equitable access, student-centered learning, well-being and participation, mobility and employability and achievement. To facilitate the use of this instrument, each indicator is accompanied by a brief description, a measure and scale of evaluation, the periodicity with which it should be measured and the possible level of disaggregation. In conclusion, the adequacy of the Delphi method for the validation of indicators is recognized and the contribution of evaluation instruments is highlighted as tools that allow to demonstrate situations of university inequality. It is considered relevant the urgency of reversing the university model towards a model focused on the design of strategies that allow progress towards true inclusion.