Osnabrueck Meetup

MAKING INCLUSION WORK – HIGHER EDUCATION IS WHERE #IBELONG @UOS

Event Type: Inclusiveness Meetup – #IBelong Multiplier Event

Date: 20.11.2019

Time: 9.30-16h

Location: Osnabrueck Castle (building no 11 on site map), Room: 213; Osnabrueck University

Hosting institution: Osnabrueck University, Germany

EVENT SUMMARY

The Inclusiveness Meetup at Osnabrueck University is the first of four #IBelong Multiplier Events. The idea behind Inclusiveness Meetups is to bring together various stakeholders in the higher education field, and open up discussion on the best approaches towards greater inclusion in higher education. Participants will have the chance to engage in fruitful discussions and take part in two workshops that have been developed as part of #IBelong project.

The project ‘Towards a sense of belonging in an inclusive learning environment’ (#IBelong) aims at improving the experiences and outcomes of students from diverse backgrounds through creating a more inclusive learning environment in higher education. We focus on migrant students and first generation entrants in higher education in particular considering the performance gap these students experience in higher education across Europe. In the #IBelong project we build a programme of interventions to develop a sense of belonging among higher education students irrespective of their diversity, thereby increasing student retention and promoting a fair chance of succeeding.

The focus of the first Meetup at Osnabrueck University in Germany – is on the three #IBelong pillars of interventions towards a sense of belonging in higher education as being implemented at the four universities involved. Interventions will be presented in form of workshops, and participants of the Meetup are invited to select two workshops of their preference (W1: Dialogue Days/ W2: Team Teacher Reflections/ W3: Student Community Mentoring)

Via the sharing of the #IBelong interventions and first results we hope to connect practitioners, policy makers, researchers and experts on the subjects of higher education and inclusive learning environments.

EVENT PROGRAMME

KEY NOTE: Pravini Baboeram – Understanding Diversity & Inclusion: getting comfortable with the uncomfortable

Pravini Baboeram works as a program manager at ECHO, Expertise Center for Diversity Policy in the Netherlands. In this role she facilitates in the process of “getting comfortable with the uncomfortable”. Reflecting on mechanisms that lead to exclusion in education and the labor market Pravini invites participants to engage in conversations on systemic inequality. With theoretical frameworks and concepts Pravini offers a language and tools in understanding diversity and inclusion. In this process she supports participants in translating these insights into practical tools and solutions to strengthen diversity and inclusion in organizations.

WORKSHOPS

Dialogue Days Team Teacher Reflection Students Community Mentoring

Dialogue Days

Dialogue Days are intended to promote conversations about diversity and belonging between staff and students within their programme of study. By creating an environment in which to talk about diversity, belonging – and success – we are aiming to improve belonging and success for all students. In this workshop we will share the learning outcomes of our Dialogue Days, involve participants in developing activities to achieve these outcomes, and share the activities we undertook with staff and students at Edge Hill University – and reflections on how effective they were.

Workshop host: Edge Hill University (UK)

Team Teacher Reflections

One of the activities of the #IBelong-project is focused on teachers, specifically a team of teachers of the same course programme. The so-called Team Teacher Reflection (TTR) aims at creating awareness among teaching staff about their impact on students’ sense of belonging, and enhancing teachers’ skills to teach and support a diverse student population. In the TTR members of a teacher team will a) share their views on and experiences with diversity, in-/exclusion and identities and b) practice with exercises (e.g. a ‘listening to each other’-assignment, role playing of cases). During the interactive TTR workshop participants are invited to experience one or two exercises from the TTR of the #Ibelong project.

Workshop host: Erasmus University Rotterdam (NL)

Students Community Mentoring

The Students Community Mentoring is an activity for students by students that empowers experienced students to mentor first year students. They form learning communities, meet for informal events and face-to-face contact to answer individual questions about studying.

The workshop will give you an insight into the activities and will help you to understand the recruitment of the students, the training of the students and the community building activities for students by students. How do the activities look like? Which students benefit from these activities? Who is participating?

These questions will be discussed in the workshop. You will also have the opportunity to ask questions and share experiences from your own institution and activities.

Workshop host: Osnabrueck University

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

TIMETABLE

9.30	Registration & Welcome
10.00	Welcoming Speech by Pof.in Dr.in Susanne Menzel-Riedl (President Osnabrueck University)
10.30	Keynote: Pravini Baboeram – Understanding Diversity & Inclusion: getting comfortable with the uncomfortable
11.30	#Ibelong project presentation by Marieke Meeuwisse (Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands)
12.00	First Results of the Project by Sofia Marques da Silva (Universidad Porto, Portugal)
12.30	Lunch Break
13.15	Workshop Session I Dialogue Days (Edge Hill University) Teacher Team Reflection (Erasmus University Rotterdam) Students Community Mentoring (Osnabrueck University)
14.15	Coffee Break
15.00	Workshop Session II
15.45	Get Together & Wrap Up
16.00	End

GETTING TO UOS

Osnabrück is easy to reach.

The city is a major stop on train lines running between Berlin─Amsterdam and Cologne─Hamburg.

The closest airports are Münster/Osnabrück, Bremen, Hanover, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Cologne and Frankfurt (am Main).
There is a shuttle bus from Münster/Osnabrück Airport to Osnabrück. Trains from Hanover, Bremen, Hamburg, Düsseldorf and Cologne stop regularly in Osnabrück. However, you first have to get from the airport to the train station (via streetcar, taxi, etc.). Please ask the airport information center for the best, most affordable way. Frankfurt airport has its own long-distance train station.

By car, you can get to Osnabrück from north and south via the A 1, from Amsterdam and Berlin on the A 30, and from Bielefeld on the A 33.The directions to Osnabrück University can be found on the site plan. (“Anfahrtskizze”).

There are also some long-distance bus routes to Osnabrück.

site map: http://geo.osnabrueck.de/uni/

STAYING IN OSNABRUECK

Arcona Living https://www.viennahouse.com/index.php?id=948&L=1

Steigenberger Remarque Hotel https://www.steigenberger.com/hotels/alle-hotels/deutschland/osnabrueck/steigenberger-hotel-remarque

Bergmann Boarding House https://bergmann-boardinghouse.de/

Select Hotels Osnabrück https://www.select-hotels.com/hotels/select-hotel-osnabrueck/

PARTICIPATION INFO

Registration is on the first come – first serve basis (limited number of participants).

Event is free of charge, refreshment and lunch are provided by the organizers.

Please be informed that the organizers do not cover travel and lodging expenses of participants.