SHORT ADVANCED PROGRAMME

Celebrating Diversity: Innovations for Inclusivity and Equality in Higher Education 


4 February 2025

The Short Advanced Programme (SAP) ‘Celebrating Diversity: Innovations for Inclusivity and Equality in Higher Education’ is jointly coordinated by the Polytechnic University of Leiria (IPLeiria), the NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences (NHL Stenden), the Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK), the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), the Polytechnic University of Cávado and Ave (IPCA), and the University of Burgos (UBU).

Diversity and social inclusion are important topics on the European agenda. Political changes in some European countries have led to an increase in more nationalist ways of thinking, thereby excluding specific societal groups. We believe social diversity is something to celebrate. This SAP aims to offer students opportunities to explore its values and challenges and provide them with skills to develop activities and interventions that address these challenges within their contexts. 

The programme offers an in-depth, nuanced understanding of the social challenges RUN-EU universities face, and provides tools to address these challenges within these institutions. It aims to develop (inter)cultural activities and interventions for all RUN-EU universities, for example during the introduction week for new students. It is broadly interdisciplinary and is built on conceptual and theoretical relationships between social and educational studies, including themes and approaches such as neurodiversity, inclusive technology, participatory and community-based approaches, gender education and equality, migration and refugees, physically disabled, socially or economically backlog, etc. It is based on up-to-date scientific insights and the presentation of international case studies and award-winning projects in a higher education context. It is designed using the expertise of the working group members and the ongoing knowledge debate and actions that enhance collective, participatory and evidence-informed responses to current inclusion and equity social challenges within our national and regional contexts.

Through active teaching methodologies, we encourage learning critically, participatively, and autonomously, enhancing transversal insights and skills. It promotes an integrative and complementary vision of the different areas of knowledge with a strong focus on practical learning opportunities, such as designing and implementing community interventions that celebrate diversity in its multiple perspectives.

 

Schedule
From 19 March to 22 May 2025

Online sessions
Wednesdays

  • 19 March, 19h00 CET • Introduction to the programme, the general theme of diversity and design approach.
  • 26 March, 19h00 CET • LGBTQI+ and an introduction to perspectives on diversity in national diversity agendas, university policies and with the European Union.
  • 2 April, 19h00 CET • Neurodiversity and Inclusion in Contemporary Societies.
  • 9 April, 19h00 CET • Racism and Intercultural Learning.
  • 16 April, 19h00 CET • Inclusive Educational Technology and Gender.
  • 23 April, 19h00 CET • Equity and the arts.

28 April – 2 May • Free scheduling: group work, preparatory week.
12–15 May, 19h00 CET • Free scheduling: group work.
10, 19–21 May, 19h00 CET • Free scheduling: group work.
22 May, 19h00 CET • Online presentations and evaluations.

Face-to-face week
From 5 May to 9 May 2025 at IPLeiria, in Leiria, Portugal
Lectures, workshops (3h), cultural moments (3 h), stakeholder field trips (3h), group work (10h), presentations of designed interventions to stakeholders (4h), wrap-up and Quality Assessment (3h)

Mode of delivery
Blended

Language of instruction
English

3 ECTS credits

Academic recognition
To be defined by each Higher Education Institution.
Generally, most students will have this SAP certified in their Diploma Supplement, as a minimal condition.

Eligible participants
RUN-EU students from Short-cycle (5) to 3rd-cycle (8)

How to apply
Fill in the application form

Deadline for applications
28 February 2025

Learning outcomes
By the end of this Short Advanced Programme, students will be able to:

  • Encounter different cultural and social perspectives and develop an awareness of their social environments and processes of inclusion and exclusion within it.
  • Identify and critically analyse personal and societal biases, demonstrating an understanding of how these biases influence interactions and decision-making in diverse contexts.
  • Increase their understanding of the dynamics of social inclusion and exclusion within our universities and feel empowered to play a role in the debate.
  • Gain insights into ways of working that address social inclusion and diversity issues.
  • Increase knowledge of design-based ways of working and experience steps in the design process.
  • Develop analytical and critical thinking skills.
  • Learn to communicate with students and participants from different cultural backgrounds.
  • Think creatively and be able to develop interventions and activities that address the celebration of diversity, in cooperation with specific target groups.
  • Learn to cooperate with students from different cultural backgrounds.
  • Enlarge their broad knowledge of facts and perceptions, from a statistical perspective, related to phenomena like migration, equality, racism and social exclusion.

Course Leader
Filipa Rodrigues (IPLeiria)

Lecturers
Antine Zijlstra (NHL Stenden)
Vanesa Delgado Benit (Burgos)
Sonia Rodríguez Cano (Burgos)
Jaana Sipilä (HAMK)
Susanna Kuism (HAMK)
Aisling Burke (TUS)
Brian Murphy (TUS)
Jaap Sanders (NHL Stenden)
Carmen Hofer-Temmel (FHV)

Selection criteria
Extensive motivation (why would you like to take the course?). Fill in a form.
Wide representation (fields of study Social Studies and Education).
Balanced participation of RUN-EU member institutions.

Scholarships
The selected students will receive travel grants based on the travel distance and the subsistence costs in the country the SAP is offered in:

Ireland – Portugal: €862
Barcelos – Leiria: €581
Finland – Portugal: €1,133
The Netherlands – Portugal: €862
Austria – Portugal: €862
Spain – Portugal: €862
Belgium – Portugal: €862

Coordination

IPLeiria, Portugal
NHL Stenden, The Netherlands
HAMK, Finland
TUS, Ireland
IPCA, Portugal
UBU, Spain

Contact filipa.rodrigues@ipleiria.pt or antine.zijlstra@nhlstenden.com if you have any further questions.

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