Policy analysis for mapping the discourse of inclusion in higher education system in Kosovo

Inclusive higher education policy has been central to global educational debates for many years. National and international higher education institutions face challenges related to providing equal access and guaranteeing active participation of all students in higher education. Although greater efforts have been dedicated to the issue of inclusion in pre-university education, issues related to inclusion in higher education remain in the margins. The main purpose of this study is to examine the broad discourses of inclusion in Kosovo's higher education policies. This is a discourse study that uses lexicometric analysis as a quantitative heuristic methodology and discourse analysis as a qualitative hermeneutic method. More than thirty national and institutional policy documents were analysed to uncover the meaning of inclusion discourse in Kosovo's higher education system as represented in policy documents. Findings indicate that inclusive policies can contribute towards improved outcomes for the inclusion of students with disabilities in higher education. The study concludes that there is a need to develop realistic, effective, and clear inclusive higher education policy that is supported by strategic and plan-based documents that can better ensure the enforcement of legally binding provisions for an inclusive higher education system.