In today’s rapidly changing world, the pursuit of inclusive educational communities has become an imperative. It is no longer enough to provide access to higher education; we must also ensure that every individual, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to thrive and succeed within these institutions. Universities serve as bastions of knowledge, research, and intellectual growth. They play a pivotal role in shaping societies and molding future leaders. However, the responsibility of nurturing inclusive communities extends beyond the walls of these institutions. Civil society organizations, with their deep connections to local communities and diverse stakeholder engagement, bring invaluable insights and resources to the table.
As we navigate the complexities of building inclusive educational communities, it is crucial to recognize the role of higher education-civil society partnerships as catalysts for transformation. Together, these two actors can work towards dismantling barriers, expanding access, and nurturing a truly inclusive educational environment for all.
How we will contribute to this process by?
- Enhancing the competences and raising awareness among academic and non-academic staff to support the access and the academic achievements of underrepresented students. We are working on the development of a training manual and programme on intercultural competences and development of more inclusive education environments.
- Fostering the creation of structured and long-term collaborations among higher education institutes and civil society organisations through the development of a toolkit that can guide these two actors and provide them with tools for sustainable partnerships.
- Building the capacities of students and young people on intercultural peer support as further means to promote the active inclusion of underrepresented students.
- Raising the awareness among policy makers on the role of higher education-civil society partnerships to unlock the potential of each student in contributing to the educational and wider community.
By highlighting these innovative partnerships, we aim to shed light on the transformative potential of collaboration between higher education and civil society, ultimately paving the way towards more inclusive educational communities.
In the next months, we will share the resources developed and updates on our training programmes and activities. Stay updated to discover more about our journey.
If you would like to know practices on inclusive learning environments in higher education, check the STATUS eRepository.
Representatives of the STATUS partner organisations met in Palermo on the 3rd and 4th of May 2023 to share the updates and next steps of the project.
About the project
STATUS – Steering Transition and Advancement of Tertiary Underrepresented Students is funded by DG EAC, Erasmus+: KA 2 – Cooperation Partnerships in Higher Education, and it aims at developing supportive educational environments enhancing the participation of underrepresented students in the tertiary education.
Partners
- Visoka škola strukovnih studija za vaspitače Vršac (Serbia, coordinator)
- Universitatea 1 Decembrie 1918 (Romania)
- Universidade da Madeira (Portugal)
- Western Balkans Institute (Serbia)
- Università degli Studi di Palermo (Italy)
- CESIE (Italy)
For further information
Read more about STATUS and visit the website https://status.uskolavrsac.edu.rs/.
Contact Giulia Tarantino: giulia.tarantino@cesie.org.
