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.