Student Ethnic Diversity Management in Ethiopian Universities: Practices, Challenges, and Way Forward

Abstract

Ethnic-related issues have been the historic and prevalent questions of Ethiopian society. Student ethnic diversity management is one of the major challenges facing public universities in Ethiopia. I interviewed 48 deans to examine the practice, challenges, and way forward of student ethnic diversity management. The study revealed that the practice of student ethnic diversity management is low and there are different internal and external factors that affect diversity management in higher education. Above all, the politicization of ethnicity is found to be the mother of all challenges associated with student ethnic diversity management in Ethiopia. This implies that addressing issues related to the ethnic political and administrative system at a national level is the highest priority, but is a long-term plan, and universities need to take different measures that help them to at least avoid or minimize the negative impacts of diversity.