Hybridity in Higher Education: Oscillating Between Public and Private Sectors

Abstract This article argues that the classical dualism between public and private universities turns out to be a terminological handicap for scholars who explore the current complexity of higher education landscapes. It focuses on the Cypriot public and private universities in order to illustrate specific manifestations of hybridity. The latter arise as these institutions oscillate between neoliberal-driven doctrines, European/international discourses, and local academic idiosyncrasies. This oscillation creates paradoxes, blurring the borders between public and private universities.