Abstract
Situated in the first stage of Lewin’s Change Management Model (Lewin, 1947),
this study examined the strategic communication plan needed to enable Higher
Educational Institutions (HEIs) to embrace learner diversity via diversity
engagement. Participants were 56 academics from 14 public and two private
universities in Malaysia who attended the Learner Diversity training module at
the Higher Education Leadership Academy (AKEPT) between the periods from 2014 to
2015. During the training sessions, participants were asked to diagnose the
existing communication strategies of their respective universities that
concerned learner diversity, and to suggest ways to fulfill the mission of
driving diversity in their respective universities. Each participant wrote three
series of reflective writings and these created a total database of 168
reflective notes. The data were analyzed using the six phases of thematic
analysis proposed by Braun and Clarke
(2006). The findings have identified three main themes for a
strategic communication planning approach: (1) re-examining the institutional
mission statement on inclusive diversity practices, (2) changing the mindset of
academe, and (3) starting with small steps when introducing change in embracing
learner diversity. This study served as one of the baseline studies conducted at
the national level to comprehend the potential of a strategic communication
planning process in HEIs from the perspectives of employees.
