Understanding why gaps persist even among students with high academic potential is the focus of the research led by Andrés Barrios, a faculty member at the School of Economics and Business Administration and director of the Human Development Lab, which was recently awarded a Fondecyt Regular 2026 grant.
Understanding why gaps persist even among students with high academic potential is the focus of the research led by Andrés Barrios, a faculty member at the School of Economics and Business Administration and director of the Human Development Lab, which was recently awarded a Fondecyt Regular 2026 grant.
"The project seeks to identify the main barriers and obstacles faced by young people from vulnerable backgrounds in their transition to higher education, combining two complementary lines of study, with the aim of understanding the barriers behind the gaps in access to higher education in Chile," explains Barrios, a researcher at the School of Economics and Business Administration and director of the Human Development Lab.
In the first line, the team analyzes how to scale up interventions that have already proven effective in supporting students during this process,with an emphasis on building lasting capacity in school communities. "The idea is that these communities should not require permanent external support to guide their students," he says.
The second strand of the project focuses on the design of public admissions policies that account for the diversity of applicants' backgrounds and contexts. According to the researcher, despite the high returns of higher education, inequalities remain significant. "Even talented students from vulnerable backgrounds face significant barriers. Better understanding these mechanisms and designing effective interventions can contribute significantly to social mobility and economic growth in Chile," he says.
The research aims to provide rigorous evidence to develop effective, scalable, and cost-effective policies with broad social impact.
"If we can identify ways to support these students by leveraging the multiplier effects generated in their social networks, we could significantly amplify the impact of these programs, benefiting not only the direct participants, but also their families and communities," Barrios notes.
The project is part of a broader research agenda, developed in collaboration with national and international researchers. Among them is Jorge Rodríguez, a professor at the School of Economics and Business Administration and an associated researcher at the Human Development Lab.
In addition to the Fondecyt Regular 2026, Barrios continues to participate in other projects aimed at understanding how to reduce inequality in access to opportunities and strengthen social mobility through education. "This project is part of a broader agenda that seeks to generate evidence to advance toward a more equitable education system with greater social impact," he concludes.
