Educational leadership for socioeconomic equity: University leaders’ perceptions on their role in reducing the access gap in higher education in China

This article investigates how university leaders in China perceive their role in reducing the socioeconomic access gap in higher education (HE), using the capability approach as a conceptual framework. Focusing on three educational capabilities, the study examines leaders’ perceptions of factors enabling or constraining access for low-socioeconomic-status students. The findings – based on interviews with six university leaders – reveal that while leaders recognise the socioeconomic access gap in HE, there is a lack of consensus regarding their responsibility to address it. Nonetheless, they are well-positioned to actively promote the capabilities of low-socioeconomic-status students, particularly respect and recognition, aspiration, and voice. The article concludes by speculating on the potential application of distributed leadership theories in the Chinese context to reduce this access gap. It highlights the important roles of informal leaders in ensuring that policies – aimed at facilitating access for low-socioeconomic-status students – are enacted in ways relevant to the local context.