The mass participation of higher education (HE) has been growing at an unprecedented speed since the late 20th century, and now more than one-third of people aged 25 to 65 years old have attained at least one post-secondary degree (OECD, 2019). Leading by the increasing access and diversity of participation, the ongoing transformation of higher education systems (HES) shows the dynamism of HE. It is not only majorly powered by the economic efficiency of HEIs but also the students’ goals of socioeconomic improvement. Many institutions, however, take a sidestep when it comes to equal access. Quality of HE begins to raise issues when the number of students becomes overwhelming. Societal and financial factors continue to pervade the institutions as HE access broadens. To comprehend the difficulties of these institutions is to propose a better way to change the current HES. This paper is based on a number of analyses, reports and surveys to explore the process of transforming from elite education to online education with historical timelines. The paper addressed the influence of diversified accessibility on HE is further discussed, revealing many issues that hinder the current progress of transformation. Scrutinizing the economic analogy for HE also uncovers problems in the current HES. Then, the paper proposes several advantages for OHE and how it will shift the current HES. 

Zike An. The Higher Education Paradigm Shift. Frontiers in Educational Research (2021) Vol. 4 Issue 1: 35-42. https://doi.org/10.25236/FER.2021.040108.

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