ABSTRACT
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.
