A disparity in access to higher education exists between rural and urban regions of the world. The research and theory that will be discussed during the workshop have demonstrated that lives of residents of rural areas around the globe and at a local site are negatively affected by rurality. Although rurality impacts many areas of life, this case study’s focus on access to higher education has contributed to a better understanding of the barriers to higher education access at the local setting. The project has the potential to improve university access for students from rural areas of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. The workshop has the potential to provide researchers, institutions, and governments
with a better understanding of access challenges experienced by rural Kyrgyz and Tajik residents, allowing them to improve current outreach practices and potentially support the creation of long-term strategies for rural development.

Published in: Canada International Conference on Education, 2018

• Date of Conference: 25-28 June, 2018
• DOI: 10.2053/CICE.2018.0003
• Electronic ISBN: 978-1-908320-90-2
• Conference Location: University of Toronto Mississauga, Canada