Emerging Hybridity in Higher Education

While (re)imagining higher education institutions in the post-pandemic era, multifaceted transformations are apparent. One such transformation, evolving from the accumulated experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic, involves a growing number of universities considering hybrid educational spaces as a strategic means of expanding educational access to broader audiences and addressing physical space constraints on campuses. Yet, despite extensive pandemic-related research, little is known about the potential futures and lasting implications of the hybrid educational arrangements developed in response. In particular, current understanding of hybrid remains limited, highlighting the need for a more nuanced conceptualisation. This chapter explores emerging hybridity in post-pandemic higher education, drawing on international developments with a specific focus on the Nordic context. It aims to contribute to the conceptual understanding of hybridity and to shift the discourse from market-inspired educational offerings towards a more inclusive experience of space – one in which there is no distinct divide between students attending in person and those participating digitally. Given the growing prominence of hybridity in higher education, the chapter argues for a deeper understanding of how to curate inclusive student experiences and design educational spaces capable of supporting sustainable and more robust hybrid educational arrangements.