Theatrex Asia is established to find solutions to contemporary problems in private higher education. Student recruitment processes are designed and implemented at the behest of profit-driven objectives. Proft making is the basis of commercial business. However the objective of maximising profits by lowering costs at the expense of academic quality has resulted in institutions
- lowering the minimum entry requirements for student admission
- providing of bridging-courses that may inadvertently confer a comparative advantage to students with distinct protected characteristics.
- formulating course delivery and assessment policies that work towards comparative advantage to students of protected characteristics
The above has brought about academic risks to students.
- Starting a course without meeting the entry requirements puts students at risk of facing greater learning challenges, as they may lack the basic foundation needed for that level of study
- These bridging courses tend to rely on familiar academic language and teaching styles, even when delivered in a different cultural context. This emphasis on comfort and familiarity can delay students’ exposure to new pedagogical approaches, potentially limiting their readiness for the demands of international higher education.
- Wheeler et al. (2008), in The Academic Chair’s Handbook, highlight how course delivery and assessment can unintentionally produce inequalities. While they propose strategies to address these issues, contemporary education increasingly reflects a shift—from accidental disparities to deliberately structured advantages embedded in instructional design.
