ACCESS WITH QUALITY TO HIGHER EDUCATION PROJECT-ACCES II -SOP PHASE 2

closed

The objective of the Second Phase of the Access with Quality to Higher Education (ACCES) Project for Colombia is to increase student enrollment, graduation and equity in higher education, by: (a) increasing the number of ACCES student loans and the ACCES program's focus on students from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds and in quality higher education institutions and programs; and (b) enhancing Colombian Institute for Educational Credit and Technical Studies Abroad (ICETEX's) institutional capacity. The project has two components. (1) Student loans component will increase student enrollment and graduation and improve equity in higher education by increasing the number of new and renewed ACCES student loans provided by ICETEX, and increasingly focusing them on students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds and quality HEIs and programs. This would also improve the probability of loan repayment, and strengthen ICETEX's financial soundness. (2) Institutional strengthening component will strengthen ICETEX's management practices, explore further diversification of financing sources and carry out an impact evaluation in order to enhance ICETEX's ability to increase student enrollment and graduation and improve equity in higher education.