Page 141 - A Handbook for Academia, Industry and Policymakers: Reinforcing the Innovation-Employability Nexus in the Mediterranean

140 REINFORCING THE INNOVATION-EMPLOYABILITY NEXUS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REINFORCING THE INNOVATION-EMPLOYABILITY NEXUS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN 141

Equity, access and inclusion are all related to
ensuring that an environment can be as diverse
as possible and thus, as high quality as possible.
An individual’s experience of exclusion and
discrimination is not the inevitable consequence
of their difference, but rather caused by the way
institutions and society at large do not address
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion or redress those differences. Equitable access
can only be achieved when institutions give
Universities Promoting Equality equivalent attention and accommodations to
each individuals’ needs, as illustrated in Figure 16.

THE SOCIAL MODEL OF DISABILITY
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There is a clear link between equity and employability since The word disability is used to refer to the restrictions caused by society when it does not give equivalent attention
under-represented groups are effectively an untapped source of and accommodation to the needs of individuals with impairments. As a simple example, if a person is unable to climb
potential labour. If they are given increased access to educational stairs, the medical model focuses on making the individual physically able to climb stairs. The social model tries to
make stair-climbing unnecessary, such as by replacing the stairs with a wheelchair-accessible ramp. According to the
experiences that build employability skills and facilitate their social model, the person remains impaired with respect to climbing stairs, but the impairment should no longer be
transition to the world of work, they can contribute directly to the considered disabling in that scenario, because the person can get to the same locations without climbing any stairs.
economy. Despite the advantages for higher education institutions
(HEIs) to promote equity, diversity and inclusion, there are still Equality vs equity: every individual has the right to just treatment and equal access

significant barriers. HEIs are expected to shape the next generation Figure 16
in terms of socialisation which necessitates their confronting social
inequalities and setting an example within their own walls, for
instance with inclusive teaching and approaches to research (by

integrating gender, socio-economic or differently abled aspects).
Improving equity, diversity and inclusion in a university setting
can be a positive step toward reducing unemployment as the
unemployment rates in some parts of the Mediterranean region

are starkly divided along gender lines.

Background and context

cultural, political or religious affiliation, physical Equality Equity
It is widely accepted that diversity is linked or mental condition and health’, and across all of
to quality. Diversity promotes innovation and these, socio-economic status . An example of a Employability has equity implications. Educational experiences and processes contribute to the
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creativity and hearing different – even targeted initiative that generates this stimulation development of employability skills and some student groups benefit more than others from higher
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dissenting – views can anticipate issues, making and satisfaction is Mediterranean New Chance education institutional strategies that can control access to these experiences. Certainly, reaching
outcomes more robust. In addition, diversity (Med NC), which addresses the socio-professional gender parity in enrolment and graduates, as several countries in the Southern Mediterranean have,
improves cognitive development, stimulation, integration of young people, with special is an important milestone. To overcome limitations in access, there needs to be conceptual clarity, an
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motivation and satisfaction. Diversity refers to attention for young women and disadvantaged understanding of the causes and effects, empirical evidence and recommendations for interventions .
‘individual or group-social differences among youth, through educational experiences with HEIs are in a special position as the main drivers of education for sustainable development to integrate
persons such as gender and gender identity, South-South partners as well as exchanges with diversity and gender equality. The strength of the institution itself can enable HEIs to demonstrate
age, sexual orientation and identity, ethnic origin, Northern Mediterranean countries. social responsibility and lead the way in building equity, diversity and inclusion.