**5. Conclusions**

This article provides an overview of how countries with common challenges regarding the participation rate of low-SES students in higher education have partnered in practical and academic ways to adapt and scale effective models and to build the evidence base for further learning. It has used the capability approach as a lens through which to consider the impact of the programs on participating students. These programs and associated research would not have happened without an openness by the institutions, the partner schools and the students to learn from each other and collaborate to address the common challenge of unequal access to higher education. This comparative case study (CCS) poses two questions:

