Online Universities, Gender and Affordability

What does it mean to have access to education? For many, the answer seems simple—enrolling in a school, attending classes, and earning a degree. But in much of the developing world, the reality is far more complex. Gendered barriers prevent countless young women from pursuing their dreams, while systemic challenges make education an uphill battle.

You’ve likely clicked on this article because you know these issues run deep. Perhaps you’ve seen the struggles firsthand or heard stories of potential left unrealized. This post keeps these challenges in mind, from the daily realities of young women in Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa to the cultural and logistical obstacles many face.

Gendered Barriers

In rural Cambodia, there are many stories of 16-year-old girls, with names like Srey that make a choice every morning: walk several miles to school or help her family in the rice fields. In Nigeria, Aisha dreams of studying medicine but faces immense societal pressure to marry instead of continuing her education.

Stories like these highlight the barriers young women face—not because they lack ability or ambition, but because systemic challenges make education feel impossible. These obstacles include:

• Cultural Norms: Early marriage, household responsibilities, and expectations to prioritize family over personal development.
• Infrastructure Issues: Schools located far from villages, unsafe routes, and facilities that fail to accommodate female students.
• Financial Constraints: Families often prioritize educating sons, leaving daughters without the resources to attend school.

The effects ripple outward. Fewer educated women mean fewer opportunities for families and communities to thrive.

So much of the same can be said for a young student from Ghana or Indonesia traveling abroad to pursue higher education. While they escape some challenges at home, they encounter new ones in countries with racial and systemic barriers. These students often face bias, cultural isolation, and limited support in environments that were never designed with them in mind.

It’s a reminder that the barriers to education are not confined to any one region—they take many forms, from gendered challenges in developing markets to systemic inequities in developed ones.

Affordable Online Universities Address These Barriers

Education should empower, not exclude. That’s why affordable online universities are transforming the way we think about access. For students in developing markets, this model eliminates many of the traditional obstacles:

• No Need to Relocate: Students can access a globally recognized education from the comfort of their home countries.
• Flexible Schedules: Online programs allow students to balance education with family or work responsibilities.
• Reduced Costs: By eliminating expenses like travel and accommodation, online universities make higher education more attainable.

At ISBSS, these principles aren’t just ideas—they’re the foundation of our work. With women in leadership roles who have decades of experience teaching and managing universities, we understand the challenges students face because we’ve spent our careers addressing them. This perspective shapes how we design programs and build connections with our students.

We care

Every student should have the chance to pursue their dreams, whether they’re navigating societal expectations in Africa or walking the long road to school in Southeast Asia. By addressing the barriers to education—gendered, racial, or systemic—we create opportunities for individuals to thrive without leaving behind what matters most to them.

At ISBSS, we believe education should be inclusive, accessible, and transformative. Our work is grounded in the belief that innovation, like online education, isn’t just a tool—it’s a pathway to a better future for students worldwide.