United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (IESALC)2023-10-022023-10-022020-11-16ISBN 978-980-7175-53-1https://globaleducationforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/DOC-11-Towards-universal-access-to-higher-education-international-trends.pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/2139/55991This document notes that higher education institutions play a central role in the local development of the regions in which they are located. Therefore, a greater understanding of how access to these institutions have expanded over the past years and what the main dynamics behind this phenomenon are becomes an ever-important area of concern. It gives a brief analysis in an attempt to address this thematic, to inform the relevant actors in government, institutions and society on the progress made worldwide as well as the remaining challenges, and ultimately to support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.en-USBook