Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Intercultural Citizenship in Higher Education

In the highly polarized and dynamic world we live in today, Higher Education Institutions (HEI) are faced with the double challenge of fostering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Intercultural Citizenship Education (ICitE) while preparing students with intercultural and democratic competencies. Prof. Irina Golubeva’s book Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Intercultural Citizenship in Higher Education (2025) critically examines how HEIs embrace and navigate these challenges, noting that DEI and ICitE “are not universally supported disciplines” (p.7). The author argues that these two areas should be integrated into a unified educational framework that equips students to collaborate in local and global contexts. This review explores Prof. Golubeva’s main arguments, evaluates their strengths and constraints, and considers their relevance to Kazakhstani higher education. The five sections comprise the book. Section One sets the conceptual basis for differentiating the historical and theoretical differences between DEI and ICitE. It underlines the necessity of combining them, especially in light of the complications of the modern world. Dr. Golubeva argues that the independent domestic DEI policies and international ICitE programs are not realistic or cost-effective because students must gain intercultural competence (ICC) and democratic values to navigate the realities of local and global contexts. In Two, the author also condemns the impact of neoliberalism on higher education, arguing that market-driven policies have commodified intercultural experience, namely study-abroad experience, ultimately reinforcing privilege and exclusion.