A capability approach to evaluating enabling education: towards a contextually grounded quality framework

Australian enabling education comprises non-award, fee-free university-preparatory programs designed to widen access to undergraduate study, particularly for students from groups historically underrepresented in higher education. Although specific to the Australian context, enabling education is broadly analogous to other equity-oriented access, preparatory, foundation, and pathway provision internationally. Despite its strong social justice orientation, the field remains theoretically eclectic, contributing to uncertainty about how quality should be evaluated across diverse institutional contexts. This article addresses two related questions: what kind of evaluative foundation is most appropriate for enabling education in Australia, and how might such a framework be translated into a contextually grounded set of capability statements? We argue that Sen’s capability approach provides a productive evaluative foundation because it focuses on what students are genuinely able to be and do through equity-oriented education, rather than on inputs or outcomes alone. Drawing on Robeyns’ procedural approach to capability-list development, we outline the consultative and conceptually informed process through which a contextually grounded set of capability statements for Australian enabling education was developed through brainstorming, engagement with the literature, expert consultation, and sector scrutiny. The resulting statements are offered as a provisional evaluative resource to support reflection, program development, and future quality work.