Universal Design (UD), a theory that encompasses a proactive approach to accessibility and inclusion, has spread from its roots in architecture and product design to a host of applications including educational contexts. Over more than two decades, applications of UD in postsecondary settings have undergone exponential growth. In this theoretical paper, we explore the unique trajectory of the growth of UD in higher education (UDHE) including early growing pains in the field, the evolution of multiple models of UD implementation, the ongoing influence of the postsecondary instructional environment, and the emerging synchrony with campus diversity equity and inclusion initiatives. The multi-dimensional nature of UD is examined through two examples that illustrate the diverse approaches to implementing this framework on college campuses. We use the terminology of Faggella-Luby et al. (2017), that describes UD's application to instruction and learning in higher education as UD-IL and provide a discussion of future directions including questions and recommendations that can guide the theoretical and applied development of UD-IL moving ahead.