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Inclusive education, the idea that all students—regardless of their abilities, backgrounds, or identities—should have equal access to quality education, has become a central theme in global educational discourse. It embodies the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and seeks to ensure that every student, regardless of their backgrounds, abilities, learning needs, and more, is given the opportunity to thrive. However, the path to achieving equity and inclusivity in education is laden with challenges. As we look at the current state of DEI across the globe and contemplate the future of higher education, the question arises: Is inclusive education an achievable goal or merely an unrealistic dream?
Inclusive education has gained renewed urgency in recent years as societies become more diverse and the call for equity becomes louder. At its core, inclusive education aims to eliminate barriers that prevent students from accessing learning opportunities and to create environments where all students can succeed. This encompasses not only physical accessibility but also the inclusion of diverse perspectives, identities, and learning needs within the educational curriculum and environment.
The US has seen diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives come under sustained attack from the political right, with the introduction of anti-DEI laws that aim to fire the DEI supporters at colleges and universities; close down DEI offices; and increase curbs on research. This has caused DEI offices and associated programs to diminish while those that remain fear for their continued survival.
Multiple institutions have eliminated faculty and staff with DEI roles, with the University of Texas at Austin estimated to have fired about 60 people from DEI-related jobs alone. The layoffs came days after a conservative state legislator warned state universities to comply with the law banning DEI offices on campus, known as Senate Bill 17 (SB 17). The University of Florida also eliminated its DEI staff after a similar state law passed there in 2023. At Texas A&M University, a diversity war broke out in the fall over SB 17.
According to the DEI Legislation Tracker created by the Chronicle of Higher Education, at least 82 bills attacking DEI in higher education have been filed in more than 20 states since 2023.
So why is DEI supporters facing such challenges in the US? In the article “Why diversity programs fail?” published by Harvard Business Review, Frank Dobbin and Alexandra Kalev outlined a number of factors that contribute to the emerging negativity towards DEI.
These factors range from difficulty in interpreting the perceived benefit of diversity training programs, to poor implementation of the hiring process and grievance procedures that aim to promote DEI. It has also been said that DEI efforts “are discriminatory to those who may be left out amid efforts to boost representation of other groups”, paradoxical to the understanding of DEI as striving for greater accommodation of all groups. Lastly, critics have pointed out that such programs are costly to facilitate and that proving a direct return on investment can be elusive..
The EU; however, is more consistent in supporting the creation of inclusive education. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are embedded in the first principle of European pillars of social rights:
“Everyone has the right to quality and inclusive education, training and life-long learning in order to maintain and acquire skills that enable them to participate fully in society and manage successfully transitions in the labour market.”
Promoting equity, social cohesion and active citizenship is one of the strategic objectives for cooperation in education and training at the EU-level. This is largely driven by an increase in the number of refugees and the internationalization of higher education in Europe.
Multiple political movements to strengthen diversity and inclusiveness in higher education have been made throughout the past 10 years, starting with the Paris Declaration of EU member states in March 2015 on promoting citizenship and the common values of freedom, tolerance, and non-discrimination through education. This is also reflected in the 2015 Yerevan Communiqué and the 2018 Paris Communique of the Bologna Process, in an attempt to strengthen the social dimension of higher education.
In 2017 the European Commission took up the topic in its renewed agenda for higher education, by strengthening the social dimension of European integration through the reinforcement of the European pillars of social rights.
According to a European University Association report based on a survey of 159 institutions from 36 European systems, diversity, equity and inclusion are part of the main strategy of most institutions, with allocation of specific personnel in charge of DEI initiatives, also research departments dedicated to producing evidence to support policy-making.
"Diversity is a key concern for universities. It is a condition for excellence and for facing competition in various parts of universities’ missions,” writes Professor Michael Murphy, president of the European University Association (EUA).
At the University of Groningen (RUG), diversity and inclusion are important components of the institution’s strategic plan. The team is dedicated to creating an environment where students and staff members “feel respected and at home, regardless of any visible and invisible differences in background, experiences, perspectives, characteristics and identity”. To achieve this strategic goal, the RUG team integrated DEI into their policies, developed dedicated teams and initiatives to promote inclusive education, and collaborates with edtech companies to develop tools to support creating a strong learning community. In their latest collaboration with FeedbackFruits, the Group Formation tool was developed to help create dynamic groups and increase student engagement.
The Asia-Pacific region presents a diverse landscape of DEI in higher education. Australia and New Zealand have made significant steps in promoting inclusion, particularly concerning indigenous populations and international students. These countries have implemented comprehensive DEI policies, including support services for marginalized students, curriculum reforms to include Indigenous perspectives, and efforts to close the achievement gap between different student groups.
Asia embodies an extraordinary range of ethnicities, religions, and languages. From the Indian subcontinent to Southeast Asia, from East Asia to the Middle East, the continent showcases remarkable variation in backgrounds, ethnicities, and cultures. However, the region is still in the early stages of implementing the DEI initiatives.
Across Asia, countries have signed and ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) (United Nations, 2006) with its clear position of inclusive education as a right.
In the article “Inclusive education in the Asia-Pacific region”, Levan Lim and Thana Thaver have identified several barriers to inclusive education, including:
Despite these obstacles, there is growing recognition across the region of the need to enhance DEI efforts. For example, China has been focusing on increasing access to higher education for students from rural areas and ethnic minorities, while India is working to improve access and equity for disadvantaged castes and tribes.
Looking ahead, the future of DEI in higher education is likely to be shaped by ongoing societal changes, technological advancements, and evolving legal frameworks. And in no two regions will these changes look exactly the same. In the United States, affirmative action may be falling out of favor, , with shifts emerging toward alternative methods of ensuring diversity, such as socioeconomic-based admissions criteria. Outside of hiring, updated teaching and learning guidelines such as UDL 3.0 aim to accommodate a wider variety of learners in the physical and digital classroom. These changes could lead to new approaches to achieving DEI goals while navigating the legal and political landscape.
In the European Union, the future of DEI is closely tied to broader social inclusion goals, particularly in the context of increasing migration and demographic changes. The EU is likely to continue its focus on internationalization and gender equality while also addressing the integration of refugees and immigrants into higher education. This may involve expanding language support, enhancing recognition of foreign qualifications, and creating more inclusive curricula. The aim of these updated teaching and learning practices is not only to cater to different groups’ needs, but to increase the access to and quality of education for all sorts of learners, regardless of background.
The Asia-Pacific region is expected to continue expanding its higher education systems to accommodate growing demand, particularly from international students. This expansion presents opportunities to enhance DEI efforts by adopting innovative educational models, such as blended learning and online education, which can increase access for marginalized groups. Additionally, as more countries in the region recognize the importance of DEI, there may be greater collaboration between governments, institutions, and communities to develop inclusive policies and practices. While vast differences exist between regions in how these practices will be applied, the successful examples and best practices adopted by leading institutions will set the bar for others in terms of how traditional education can effectively be updated for the 21st century.
Professor Michael Murphy, president of the European University Association or EUA, remarks on the role of empowering inclusive education:
“Universities cannot be exclusive at a time when society is evolving fast and awareness of dimensions of diversity grows – cultural, gender or sexual orientation. University values of openness and tolerance demand that we celebrate diversity and be inclusive,”
This sentiment speaks to the growing importance of educational institutions as a hub of social responsibility and involvement. Contributing to constructive discourse and offering innovative solutions to society’s issues requires including and listening to a variety of voices, and therefore offers the best chance of finding workable solutions. Besides being beneficial for society at large, both universities and learners have much to gain from the skillset accompanying diversity in education.
“There is no such thing as a ‘typical’ student”. Students come to classes with diverse backgrounds, abilities, and needs. This is both true in a highly mixed international campus and in a seemingly-homogenous class of learners - diversity exists within all groups. Therefore, any institution that wishes to retain high levels of excellence needs to promote an equitable, inclusive learning environment that welcomes and supports every learner. The benefits of a positive learning community built upon empathy, understanding, and inclusion are worth the investment.
Higher education goes beyond just memorizing facts to get a degree. An inclusive learning environment presents students with plenty of opportunities to value a wide range of perspectives then critically reflect on their own beliefs and that of others to resolve conflicts through compromise and mutual understanding. Students are then able to develop several important cognitive skills which are key to employability, including:
An inclusive learning environment welcomes and supports students and faculty of all backgrounds, fosters cross-cultural understanding, increases academic outcomes, empowers career readiness, and promotes equity in society. Higher education institutions are responsible for promoting inclusivity and equity in every aspect, from policy development, recruitment and admissions to curriculum development and assessment. In the following section, we will elaborate on the key principles for building an inclusive, accessible learning environment for every student.
Input for this section is inspired by the The Inclusive Higher Education Framework. This framework was created by the University of Hull, University of Derby, Keele University, Staffordshire University and York St John University with the aim to highlight the key areas and principles that contribute to inclusive practice across institutions.
An inclusive institution will have processes and structures that make sure inclusive practices become part of the culture of the institution.
One of the first steps is addressing the systemic barriers that prevent access to education for certain groups of learners. This entails implementing targeted policies that provide financial support, mentorship, and outreach to underrepresented populations. For example, scholarship programs designed for students from low-income backgrounds, ethnic minorities, and other marginalized groups can help reduce financial barriers to higher education.
Aside from policy development, professional development is also critical in empowering an inclusive education.
Both the teaching staff and faculty members need to be equipped with the skills and knowledge to support diverse learners, including training in culturally responsive teaching, understanding the needs of students with disabilities, and fostering an inclusive classroom climate. Institutions should invest in ongoing professional development opportunities to ensure that educators are prepared to meet the challenges of inclusive education.
An inclusive education requires its curriculum to be relevant to all students, making them feel engaged and motivated to study.
In inclusive education, the study program should be designed to allow every learner to reach their full potential. First of all, the study content should be reflective of diverse perspectives, histories, and cultures, ensuring that all students see themselves represented in their studies. This not only promotes inclusion but also enriches the learning experience for all students by exposing them to a wider range of viewpoints and knowledge.
Furthermore, institutions need to ensure flexible teaching approaches that adapt to the talents, capacities and ambitions of individual students. For making the most of their potential, there is support, reasonable adjustments and attention to early intervention.
An inclusive curriculum should also give students flexibility and autonomy in how they demonstrate their learning. For example, students can choose the essay topic that they are interested in to study in a module.
Inclusive education requires effective design of assessment and feedback that are mindful of student anxieties and helps students identify their strengths and weaknesses to improve their performance. This involves:
Inclusive education should support a culture that fosters a strong sense of community, and belonging among the students, resulting in higher academic success. This comes with timely, efficient, and continuous student guidance and support in the forms of personal consultation, flexible curricula, part-time study, or childcare that institutions offer to students from various backgrounds.
To provide more opportunities for meaningful interactions and collaborations among the students, different programmes and student-led communities can be designed and promoted by the institutions.
Most importantly, to support a strong and inclusive learning environment, institutional hiring and admissions processes need to actively build a diverse community of staff and students.
Inclusive institutions offer all students the opportunity to reach their full potential and success in their future career. This can be done by:
Creating inclusive education requires the use of appropriate technology that supports the design and facilitation of authentic, accessible, and inclusive curriculum and assessment.
Finally, the use of technology and innovation can play a significant role in advancing inclusive education. Online learning platforms, assistive technologies, and adaptive learning tools can help overcome barriers to education for students with disabilities, those in remote areas, and others who may face challenges in accessing traditional educational resources. By embracing these technologies, institutions can create more flexible and accessible learning environments that accommodate the diverse needs of all students.
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