Abstract:

On the eve of a new century, the importance of higher education for sociocultural and economic development needs no further proof. Higher education is vital for building a knowledge society.
Because of this importance the demand for higher education in Iran is very strong. The higher education students in Iran increased from 75 thousand in 1970 to 4.1 million in 2010. This means the gross enrolment rate (GER) increased from 3% in 1970 to 47% in 2011. Also the world student population increased from 28 million in 1970 to 165 million in 2009. So the increase of student population in Iran has been more rapidly than the world. Therefore To meet the challenge of this demand, higher education system is undergoing a process of diversification.
Present study discusses about diversification of higher education in Iran and focuses on the analysis of student population by many dimensions such as: access, equality, diversification in the provision of education, privatization of higher education, internationalization and costs.

Keywords:

Higher Education student, gross enrolment rate, diversification, access to higher education.