Inclusion in higher education in Argentina, Colombia, and Ecuador: Conceptualizations, advancements and challenges in access, retention, and graduation

Despite mounting political and social pressures to ensure the inclusion of historically marginalized groups in higher education, progress in Latin America remains insufficient. This study examined how inclusive education was conceptualized at the university level in Argentina, Colombia, and Ecuador, and identified the advancements and challenges for diverse student groups in terms of access, retention, and graduation. This qualitative comparative study was based on an analysis of official documents on inclusive education from the three countries and on in-depth interviews with experts and leaders of inclusion programs from public and private universities in each country.