Managing Diversity in South African Higher Education Institutions

The purpose of this conceptual chapter is to critically review the efficacy of diversity management in institutions of higher education with the intention of highlighting context-specific challenges in South African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).

Diversity is conceptualized with the assumption that equity and redress should form part of institutional practices for managing and integrating diverse workforce in HEIs. Because HEIs are tasked to reduce inequalities and exclusions and to ensure integration through redress at all levels, the argument in this chapter is that diversity and social inclusion go hand in hand and that discrimination of people in whatever form should be eliminated.

Findings reveal that diverse learning environments in HEIs help sharpen critical thinking and analytical skills and prepare institutional members to succeed in an increasingly diverse and interconnected world.

The challenge with diversity management, however, is in implementing diversity management in a practical HEI environment.

Implications are that managers should empower diverse institutional members with the ability to accommodate ethnic and cultural diversity, to succeed in maintaining institutional unity.

The study is significant for ensuring effective management of diversity and institutional workforce integration.

The chapter informs policy choices for the day-to-day management of diversity.