Equity in Access to Higher Education for Special Needs and Socially Deprived Students in Georgia

Abstract

The goal of the article is to explore the issue of equity in access to higher education (HE) for special needs and
socially deprived students, give a vivid picture of education policy discourse in the system of higher education and
show the importance of defending the principles of social justice in order to ensure inclusion for vulnerable groups.
The overview of the Georgian legislation including the law of Georgia on higher education is of vital importance to
see the statutory responsibilities towards socially disadvantaged groups. The analysis of the Georgian higher
education system alongside the admission system is vital to understand whether it serves and meets society’s needs
and demands in terms of social justice and to generalize the factors that work either as incentives or impediments
for socially deprived and special needs students to get a fair access to higher education.