05.12.2021

24th of November 2021: KomGeDi Salon meets International Week

“Social and educational inclusion as a key principle for sustainable development in higher education. Good practices in diverse groups and scenarios”

On Wednesday, November 24, Carmen María Hernandez Lloret, guest researcher from our partner institution, the University of Cordoba, joined the Diversity Management Master’s class from Prof. Dr. Renate Bitzan and Prof. Dr. Laila Hofmann, to talk about her PhD research on inclusion in higher education.

She began her presentation with different definitions and approaches to diversity including the UN sustainable development goals. Diversity is either understood as a universal quality, i. e. everyone is diverse, or as pertaining only to certain vulnerable groups. The level of inclusion or discrimination these groups experience in a society depends on its understanding of diversity. This was exemplified in her research results, a comparative analysis of legal texts around the world defining diversity.

Carmen María proceeded to talk about the social role of universities in societies and the importance of inclusion in higher education. It is the responsibility of universities to foster a positive response to diversity by considering individual differences as opportunities to enrich learning. It is therefore their mission to institutionalize diversity into their structure and practices, i. e. in adapting their philosophy and curriculum and in training their administrative leadership and faculty/staff/student support.

The presentation concluded with the summary that inclusion revolves around rights and freedoms of everyone and depends on the critical reflection of one’s own definition of diversity. Diversity is therefore a fact while inclusion is an active process.