Page 145 - A Handbook for Academia, Industry and Policymakers: Reinforcing the Innovation-Employability Nexus in the Mediterranean

144 REINFORCING THE INNOVATION-EMPLOYABILITY NEXUS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REINFORCING THE INNOVATION-EMPLOYABILITY NEXUS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN 145

The HEI administration is particularly important them so that they are not stalled at the end of Success factors • Recognising the less visible characteristics of
in any project to improve equity since they high school, potentially wasting their ability to equity, diversity and inclusion
manage the procedures and systems that define continue studying and eventually contribute to To attain diversity, a variety of factors need to • Intersectionality as a framework to understand
access and inclusivity. Specific actions include the work force . be in place, the most significant of which are the value and complexity of diversity
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establishing an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion resources and awareness : • By highlighting the multi-faceted nature of
officer and reaching out to prospective students • Funding and resources diversity, the intersectionality framework helps
and academic staff from under-represented • Awareness about the issue to explain why singly targeted interventions
groups to communicate the support structures • Identifying and reaching target groups for narrowly defined groups are unlikely to be
in place for such individuals. Many HEIs already • Relevant data on the topic effective and why the interconnected, system-
have an equal opportunities office, which may be • Information and training wide approach is the best way forward.
required by the ministry or put in place to keep • Agreement and support within the HEI
pace with other HEIs, who have such offices and • Government support Tools and resources
personnel. When these resources are integrated • Qualified staff to manage the issue
into the strategy of the institution, the institution’s • Activities to address the issue Gendering the Academy and Research:
culture can expand into making equitable practice • Strategic approach Combating Career Instability and Asymmetries
part of everyday interactions and so avoid the • Support from HEI leadership (GARCIA)
pitfalls of ‘decoupling’ the concept of equity from
the actual practice. Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Specific challenges The GARCIA Project was concerned with
Policies should be introduced by HEI leadership the implementation of actions in European
to send a clear message to all members of the • Addressing decoupling mechanisms Universities and research centres to
academic community of the importance of the • Avoiding tokenism or symbolic efforts which promote a gender culture and combat gender
effort, giving explicit procedures for how to are not backed by concrete strategies and stereotypes and discriminations. The project
address issues that arise and where resources Opportunities for HEIs to move towards funding ran from February 2014 to January 2017
are to help. Even at a curriculum level, elements • Developing accessible reporting mechanisms and has a collection of useful publications
can be introduced to ensure that all students equity, diversity, and inclusion against discrimination and abuse and materials with concrete examples of
are aware of the institutional position on the • Acting against implicit bias and denial of implementation strategies.
subject . The lack of diversity in HEIs is often considered to discrimination
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be the inevitable result of the pursuit of excellence, • Eliminating bias and blind spots in research http://garciaproject.eu/
An academic environment that can effectively where merit alone is rewarded. However, bias is and university assessment
address social inequalities is necessary to find built into the decision-making structures and the • Embedding inclusive research and innovation
solutions to the Sustainable Development Goals definition of excellence is limited to traditional across the university
(SDGs). One particular aspect of inclusivity – measures of success instead of a broader view
disabilities – poses an interesting example that recognises the contributions of diverse
for HEIs, considering their role in knowledge others to that success. Social inequalities are
production in the form of research and teaching: firmly in place prior to reaching the HEI level
(from childhood). Although HEIs are not the
Including researchers with disabilities in the cause, they can lead the way in confronting these
research process means that the voice of people inequities. Valuing diversity can solidify an HEIs
with disabilities are included in recommendations long-term relevance in a rapidly changing world,
and outputs, which has a ripple effect, effectively improving outcomes not only for the HEI but also
expanding inclusion. ‘Nothing about us without us’ society. Opportunities include :
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is the ambition of the disability movement. When • To better reflect society and connect local and
this concept is integrated in the administration of global challenges
HEI research and teaching processes, inclusive • To discover and include the greatest talent, by
action will be affected across a wider and reconsidering the definitions of excellence and
increasing range of activities. success in the academic community
• To fully realise the potential in all staff and
Disability-inclusive tertiary education is students
especially relevant when considering the major • To enhance wellbeing across the institution,
steps already taken to improve access to to the benefit of recruitment, retention and
primary and secondary education for people with performance
disabilities. When these young students finish • To increase the validity and quality of research
secondary school, HEIs need to accommodate results and knowledge production and transfer