JOURNAL OF HIGHER EDUCATION THEORY AND PRACTICE

Identification and Analysis of a Tertiary-Education

Expectations Gap in Developed Countries

Author(s): Christopher S. Wright, Samanthala Hettihewa

Citation: Christopher S. Wright, Samanthala Hettihewa, (2012) "Identification and Analysis of a Tertiary-Education

Expectations Gap in Developed Countries," Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, Vol.12, Iss. 2, pp. 51 - 72

Article Type: Research paper

Publisher: North American Business Press

Abstract:

Participation in tertiary education in developed countries has dramatically expanded over the past few

decades. The perceptions of academic researchers, policy makers, employers and the general public have

contributed to expectations of significant socio-economic and political gains from that expansion. This

study, using a descriptive analysis and looking at the trends in historical perspective, found significant

indications of a rising gap between the expectations and the perceived performance of higher education

in developed countries. It is suggested that the recent expansion in tertiary-education may need

refocusing to avoid growing gap between expectations and perceived-performance in tertiary education.