Page 142 - A Handbook for Academia, Industry and Policymakers: Reinforcing the Innovation-Employability Nexus in the Mediterranean

142 REINFORCING THE INNOVATION-EMPLOYABILITY NEXUS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REINFORCING THE INNOVATION-EMPLOYABILITY NEXUS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN 143

may have a diverse student and staff population,
it still may not be inclusive. More than having
diversity, inclusiveness means that the institution
values diverse backgrounds and this implies
that the institution is aware of the differences
and therefore also the privileges certain groups
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enjoy . For example, access is open to everyone
in many universities, however the support
required for special needs students may not be
in place, hence the access is not actually open
to certain groups with diverse needs. HEIs are
viewed as role models in innovative practices
such as providing support tools for differently
abled students and this approach can influence Provisions and approaches
graduates and regional employers to similarly
implement practices that support open access
policies. Questioning practices around equity, Promoting equity, inclusivity and access to achieve real diversity requires a commitment from
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diversity and inclusion is justifiable and HEIs the leadership of an HEI and needs to involve all levels of the academic ecosystem (Figure 17)
have well-developed tools to do so.

Promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion in the academic ecosystem
Figure 17

Administrators:
President/ Rector
Provost/ Dean
Secretary General

Staff: Diversity and
Alumni, Inclusion Office,
Trusteets, Admissions/ Enrollment,
Universities have a history of other External Student Affairs,

fostering intellectual diversity Partners Human Resources,
Advancement

A human right to higher education was included DECOUPLING STRATEGIES
in the International Covenant on Economic A decoupling strategy is a coping mechanism that happens
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Social and Cultural Rights , which came into when organisations decide to implement a programme
force in 1976, and the European Convention while failing to implement expected practices that would The Academic Ecosystem
on Human Rights in 1950. The world has go along with it. Decoupling is a way of reconciling
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changed significantly since. Higher education conflicting institutional demands, or ‘avoiding’ conforming
is a prerequisite for many jobs and those who to institutional pressures by covering up ‘nonconformity
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have attained higher education enjoy improved behind a façade of acquiescence’ . The concept explains
how organisations deal with conflicting demands, especially
life circumstances. And HEIs have an important when they are imposed by constituents that control critical Students Faculty (need to engage
across disciplines)
role to play to defend the right of those who do material or symbolic resources. Decoupling might not
not naturally benefit from easy access to tertiary always be deliberate or strategic130. Researchers have
education. HEIs recognise that education is not demonstrated that it can be non-intentional, can serve as a
always equally accessible to all when it comes well-meant buffering mechanism, and can be motivated by
to disabilities, ethnic minorities or untraditional one’s ideology or profession 131–134 .
students (e.g. mature students). While an HEI Source: adapted from Martinez-Acosta & Favero (2018) 121