Towards understanding the influence of rurality on students’ access to and participation in higher education

This study examines the experiences of students from rural backgrounds in higher education South Africa order to foster more equitable access and participation. Edward Soja’s notion spatial justice provides a platform for thinking about rurality its impact on success HE. trialectical account means understanding historically, spatially, socially, enables exploration inequalities based interplay between Data was collected within an interpretive, qualitative, case design through document analysis, interviews, focus groups. The findings reveal that experience HE due their fact experiences, abilities, knowledges are neither acknowledged nor valued university, often by themselves. contributes understandings historical, social, foundations inequality charts future directions policy practice.