Whilst these papers consider issues relating to access and exclusion for students, the remit of this volume is deliberately broad. It includes articles on access and exclusion with regard to academics and their managers, curriculum content and the manner in which the media approach this topic.

Thus, the ten chapters in this volume do not solely concern themselves with students, and the differential access or exclusion they experience in relation to their social class, wealth, ethnicity, sex, age, religion, location, etc. They also examine access and exclusion as they impact upon academics and their managers, are experienced in terms of teaching and learning approaches, effect the content of the curriculum, relate to disciplines and what counts as academic knowledge, and are perceived externally in the media.

The relations between access, diversity and participation - searching for the weakest link?, J. Huisman, et al
access to university in Australia - who misses out?, I. Dobson
higher education in a divided society - Northern Ireland, B. Osborne, T. Gallagher
educational exclusion and inclusion in higher education in South Africa - creating a new national framework/consensus, Y. Sayed
managing to exclude? manager-academic and staff communities in contemporary UK universities, R. Deem
student financial support in higher education - access and exclusion, C. Callender
the prejudicial papers? press treatment of UK higher education performance indicators, 1999-2001, M. Yorke
qualitative difference in university teaching, K. Trigwell, M. Prosser
a disciplinary perspective on university teaching and learning, R. Neumann
naming academic knowledge - what is included within the university?, M. Tight.