Abstract:

The democratization of access to higher education in Europe is an important and complex issue. The research presented identifies educational policy options and their consequences for psychological practices in access to European higher education. It also identifies mechanisms that favor access and retention in higher education and combat school dropout. Educational Psychology contributes to the democratization of access and retention in Higher Education by perceiving and helping students. This study is part of a Systematic Literature Review that aims to understand the current perception of the subject. It discusses the collection and analysis of information in a single study. Through this methodological technique, we intend to determine whether the democratization of access to Higher Education is indeed a reality or a dream still to be realized. We started our comprehensive and rigorous research to find relevant and quality articles, using various sources. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were established for the selection of articles related to the Democratization of Higher Education. During the initial selection of articles, a reading filter was used that evaluates the title, abstract and keywords for each article. This resulted in a sample of fifty articles from the Center for Research on Higher Education Policies (CIPES). Later, during the systematic review, it was necessary to consult and research some additional articles to complement the information already described. We used the reading filter again on the Open Access Scientific Repository of Portugal (RCAAP), resulting in an additional sample of three articles. In the final phase of the literature review, it was necessary to complement the information once more. We turned to various sources. Scientific articles, online and printed books, theses and dissertations come from various databases. During screening, studies were mapped through title and abstract. Some studies were excluded after submission to reading filters. In the eligibility phase, accessible and eligible full papers were selected. In the final inclusion phase, 29 studies were included in the systematic literature review. Achieving equal opportunities for all students has been a goal of many countries but still faces many challenges. Educational Psychology can help reduce academic failure and the number of dropouts and dropouts. Educational psychologists develop a variety of interventions to support students. Higher Education and its maintenance still face divergences in different parts of the world. School dropout and dropouts in Higher Education are very present and have an increasing trend. The literature shows that Educational Psychology has a vocation to play a role of great importance in providing support and responding to these problems.

Keywords:

Democratization of access to higher education, educational policies, promotion of personal and social skills, access and inclusion.