ABSTRACT
Chapter 1 discusses the socio-political landscape that has surrounded the Access to Higher Education (Access to HE) Diploma. The chapter begins with an examination of how and why the Access to HE Diploma was developed, before moving on to how such qualifications have evolved as part of a widening participation agenda in HE. The impact of the lifelong learning agenda in terms of social and economic imperatives is also discussed in this chapter, raising broader questions of social justice and equality of opportunity for adult and disadvantaged learners returning to formal education to improve their career opportunities.
