MANAGING DIVERSITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION: Trend? Need? or Tren[d]eed?

Abstract

Higher education has changed in terms of its traditional functions. Due to the demand of more people over time, it was transformed into a mass education form. Some global developments caused the international mobility of students across the world. Although it emerged in the business sector, diversity soon became a prominent concept in higher education. This study draws on two dominant perspectives to understand diversity, essentialist or neo-liberal and anti-essentialist or democratic discourse. This chapter addresses whether diversity in higher education is perceived as a “trend,” “need,” or “tren[d] eed” using a critical lens. The theoretical analysis provides insight on the development, components, and implications of diversity in higher education. Copyright © 2025 by Information Age Publishing.