Inclusiveness in Graduate Education in Developing Countries: A Document Analysis of Diversity and Inclusion in the PhD Postings

Year 2023, , 820 - 830, 10.10.2023

Barış Eriçok , Melike Günbey , Eray Kara

https://doi.org/10.14686/buefad.1341631

Abstract

This article aims to give insights into inclusiveness in graduate education and examine the admission procedures in developing countries. In this study, doctoral postings in the developing countries with the highest scores on the Inclusive Development Index were examined in terms of diversity, equity, access, and inclusion. From the perspective of diversity, it has been uncovered that PhD postings emphasize internationalization by highlighting lecturers from different fields, countries, and cultures. This research found that Polish PhD postings have more inclusive statements. This matches Poland's high Inclusive Development Index ranking. In terms of equity, PhD postings that highlighted opportunities for collaboration and teamwork encouraged candidates to participate in an egalitarian environment. The study found that postgraduate education in developing countries is increasingly emphasizing inclusion, but more work is needed to create an inclusive learning and working environment. This study revealed that PhD advertisements aim to attract qualified applicants with factors such as language proficiency, availability of financial aid, and lack of tuition fees. This study found that doctoral advertisements do not offend or hinder candidates. The last of the most obvious conclusions reached by this study is that doctoral advertisements do not offend or hinder candidates.

Keywords

inclusiveness, diversity, graduate education, inclusion, inclusive development index

References

• Altbach, P. G. (2007). Globalization and the university: Realities in an unequal world. In J. J. F. Forest & P. G. Altbach (Eds.), International handbook of higher education (pp. 121–139). Springer.
• Aspray, W., & Bernat, A. (2000). Recruitment and retention of underrepresented minority graduate students in computer science. Computing Research Association.
• Astin, A. W., & Oseguera, L. (2004). The declining equity of American higher education. The Review of Higher Education, 27(3), 321–341. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1353/rhe.2004.0001
• Bernard, H.R. (2012). Social research methods: Qualitative and quantitative approaches. Sage.
• Bourdieu, P. & Passeron J.-C. (1985). Les héritiers, les etudiants et la culture. Minuit.
• Bowen, W. G. & Bok, D. (1998). The shape of the river, long-term consequences of considering race in college and university admissions. Princeton University Press.
• Brunsma, D. L., Embrick, D. G., & Shin, J. H. (2017). Graduate students of color: race, racism, and mentoring in the white waters of academia. Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, 3(1), 1- 13. https://doi.org/10.1177/2332649216681565
• Burke, P. J., Bennett, A., Burgess, C., Gray, K., & Southgate, E. (2016). Capability, belonging and equity in higher education: Developing inclusive approaches. Centre of Excellence for Equity in Higher Education.
• Cavanagh, A., Owais, S., Syed, S. A., Zhang, A., & Van Lieshout, R. J. (2023). Diversity in MD–PhD Programs and Factors Affecting Admission and Completion Among Minoritized Groups: A Scoping Review. Academic Medicine, 98(3), 410-419.
• Chen, J. A., Tutwiler, M. S., & Jackson, J. F. L. (2021). Mixed-reality simulations to build capacity for advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the geosciences. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 14(4), 557–568. https://doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000190
• Clancy, P., & Goastellec, G. (2007). Exploring access and equity in higher education: Policy and performance in a comparative perspective. Higher Education Quarterly, 61(2), 136-154. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2273.2007.00343.x
• de Brey, C., Musu, L., McFarland, J., Wilkinson-Flicker, S., Diliberti, M., Zhang, A., Branstetter, C., & Wang, X. (2019). Status and trends in the education of racial and ethnic groups 2018. The National Center for Education Statistics.
• Fosnacht, K., & Calderone, S. (2020). Who do students trust? An exploratory analysis of undergraduates’ social trust. Presented at the 2020 Annual Meeting of the Association for the Study of Higher Education.
• Francis, A. M., Klein, L. B., Thomas, S. H., Kainz, K., & Blank Wilson, A. (2022). Holistic admissions and racial/ethnic diversity: a systematic review and implications for social work doctoral education. Journal of Social Work Education, 58(2), 227-244. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2021.1895927
• Goastellec, G. (2006) Accès et admission à l’enseignement supérieur: Contraintes globales, réponses locales? Cahiers de la Recherche sur l’Education et les Savoirs, 5, (15–36).
• Greyling, A.J. (2009). Reaching for the dream: quality education for all. Educational Studies, 35(4), 425-435. https://doi.org/10.1080/03055690902876529
• Gurin, P., Dey, E. L., Hurtado, S., & Gurin, G. (2002). Diversity and higher education: Theory and impact on educational outcomes. Harvard Educational Review, 72(3), 330-367. https://doi.org/10.17763/haer.72.3.01151786u134n051
• Harper, S., Patton, L., & Wooden, O. (2009). Access and equity for African American students in higher education: A critical race historical analysis of policy efforts. The Journal of Higher Education, 80(4), 389–414. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221546.2009.11779022
• Harris, T. M., & Lee, C. N. (2018). Advocate-mentoring: A communicative response to diversity in higher education. Communication Education, 68(1), 103-113. https://doi.org/f3hf.
• Hutchinson, S. R. & Hyer, P. (2000). The campus climate for diversity: student perceptions. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
• Jacobs, B., & Van Der Ploeg, F. (2006). Guide to reform of higher education: A European perspective. Economic Policy, 21(47), 535–592. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0327.2006.00166.x
• Labuschagne, A. (2003). Qualitative research: Airy fairy or fundamental. The qualitative report, 8(1), 100-103.
• Lamont, M. (2009). How professors think: inside the curious world of academic judgment. Harvard University Press.
• Maringe, F. & Gibbs, P. (2009). Marketing higher education: Theory and practice. Mc Graw Hill.
• Muir, R., & Carroll, M. (2020). It’s all in the plan: A document analysis of Victorian council and public library disability access and inclusion plans. Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association, 69(1), 102–115. https://doi.org/10.1080/24750158.2020.1712883
• Muir, R., Thompson, K. M., & Qayyum, A. (2020). The diversity we seek: A document analysis of diversity and inclusion in the Australian library and information sector job advertisements. Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association, 69(4), 473-495.
• Niemann, Y. F., & Maruyama, G. (2005). Inequities in higher education: Issues and promising practices in a world ambivalent about affirmative action. Journal of Social Issues, 61(3), 407–426. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.2005.00414.x
• Page, S. (2008). The difference: how the power of diversity creates better groups, firms,
• Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T. (2005). How college affects students: A third decade of research (Volume 2). Wiley.
• Posselt, J. R. (2014). Toward inclusive excellence in graduate education: constructing merit and diversity in PhD admissions. American Journal of Education, 120(4), 481–514. https://doi.org/10.1086/676910
• Salmi, J. (2017). The tertiary education imperative: knowledge, skills and values for development. Sense Publishers.
• Salmi, J., & D’Addio, A. (2021). Policies for achieving inclusion in higher education. Policy Reviews in Higher Education, 5(1), 47-72. https://doi.org/10.1080/23322969.2020.1835529
• schools, and societies. Princeton University Press.
• Swain, S.G. (2013). Diversity education goals in higher education: a policy discourse analysis [Doctoral dissertation]. University of Maine.
• Tapia, R., Lanius, C., & Alexander, B. (2003). Factors that influence science and engineering graduate student diversity: Results of a Rice faculty survey. Rice University.
• Thomas, L. (2002). Student retention in higher education: the role of institutional. Journal of Education Policy, 17, 423–442. https://doi.org/10.1080/02680930210140257
• Thompson, K.M., Jaeger, P.T., & Copeland, C.A. (2022). A tripartite approach to designing an inclusive hiring experience and an inclusive workplace. In C. A. Copeland (Ed.), Differing abilities and the library: Fostering equity for patrons and staff with disabilities. ABC-Clio.
• Tien, C. (2008). The changing American college experience: A view from the city university of New York, Hunter College. Paper presented at the Hurst Seminar on Higher Education and Equality of Opportunity: Cross-National Perspectives, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, 3–5 June.
• Truong, K. A., Museus, S. D., & McGuire, K. M. (2016). Vicarious racism: A qualitative analysis of experiences with secondhand racism in graduate education. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 29(2), 224-247. https://doi.org/ggdf4j
• Willis, D.S. & Schram, L.N. (2023). Graduate student diversity, equity and inclusion professional development. Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education, 14(1), (63-82). https://doi.org/10.1108/SGPE-02-2022-0013
• Wise, S., Henninger, M., & Kennan, M. A. (2011). Changing trends in LIS job advertisements. Australian Academic & Research Libraries, 42(4), 268–295. https://doi.org/10.1080/00048623.2011.10722241
• World Economic Forum (2018). The Inclusive Development Index 2018: Summary and data highlights. Technical report. World Economic Forum.
• Zhang, J. (2019). Educational diversity and ethnic cultural heritage in the process of globalization. International Journal of Anthropology and Ethnology, 3, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41257-019-0022-x