Promoting Linguistic Diversity in Higher Education

Dear Colleagues,

Many governmental bodies continue to attack the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts of higher education institutions around the world. As a result, promoting linguistic diversity within higher education is a critical and pressing matter. In today's globalized world, higher education institutions are becoming increasingly diverse, with students and faculties hailing from various linguistic backgrounds. Fostering linguistic diversity acknowledges the richness of this diversity and recognizes the value that multilingualism brings to academic discourse, cross-cultural understanding, and innovation. Moreover, linguistic diversity is closely linked to issues of equity and social justice. Many linguistically diverse students face barriers to accessing higher education due to language-related challenges, such as limited proficiency in the language of instruction or discrimination based on language background. Addressing these barriers and promoting linguistic diversity is essential for ensuring equitable access to higher education opportunities for all individuals, regardless of their linguistic background. Additionally, as higher education institutions strive to prepare students for success in an increasingly interconnected and multicultural world, promoting linguistic diversity is crucial in equipping students with the linguistic and intercultural competencies needed to thrive in diverse academic and professional settings. Overall, promoting linguistic diversity in higher education is not only a matter of fairness and inclusivity but also a strategic imperative for fostering excellence, innovation, and global engagement in higher education.

Subsequently, this Special Issue will collect empirically grounded research that works to promote linguistic diversity in higher education, including both access to the system and equity within the system. Articles for this Special Issue may include, but are not limited to, the following areas of promoting linguistic diversity in higher education:

• The impact of language policies on promoting linguistic diversity in higher education institutions.
• Strategies for integrating students' diverse linguistic backgrounds into the curriculum.
• The role of translanguaging in promoting inclusive learning environments in higher education.
• - Faculty perceptions and practices regarding linguistic diversity in the classroom.
• The effectiveness of language support services in facilitating academic success for linguistically diverse students.
• The intersection of linguistic diversity and student engagement in higher education.
• Peer support programs for linguistically diverse students: effectiveness and best practices.
• Language ideologies and their influence on promoting or inhibiting linguistic diversity in higher education.
• The experiences of multilingual faculty in higher education settings: challenges and opportunities.
• Community engagement initiatives for leveraging linguistic diversity in higher education.
• The impact of study abroad and international exchange programs on linguistic diversity in higher education.
• Technology-mediated language learning: opportunities and challenges for promoting linguistic diversity.
• The role of assessment and evaluation practices in recognizing and valuing linguistic diversity in higher education.
• Faculty development programs for promoting inclusive teaching practices in linguistically diverse classrooms.
• The relationship between linguistic diversity and academic achievement in higher education.
• Language policies and practices in internationalization efforts within higher education institutions.
• The influence of sociocultural factors on the promotion of linguistic diversity in higher education.
• The experiences of heritage language learners in higher education: support needs and challenges.
• The role of language ideologies in shaping institutional responses to linguistic diversity in higher education.
• Linguistic landscapes of higher education campuses: representations of linguistic diversity.
• The impact of language-based stereotypes on the academic experiences of linguistically diverse students.
• The promotion of indigenous languages and cultures in higher education settings.
• The role of language assessment in determining access to higher education for linguistically diverse students.
• Intersectionality and linguistic diversity: experiences of marginalized groups in higher education.
• Policy recommendations for promoting linguistic diversity and inclusivity in higher education at institutional and governmental levels. 

Dr. Zachary Wayne Taylor
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• linguistics
• linguistic diversity
• language policy
• translanguaging
• linguistics research methods
• higher education
• college students
• international students