3. The seminar
3.9. WS 8: Diversity within HE 2010?
Workshop 8 “Diversity within HE 2010?”
Co-chairs: Milica Popovic, Gender Equality Committee, ESIB and Maarja Lühiste , Equality Working Group, FESU
WS 8: “Diversity within HE 2010?” - summary
Does, and to which extent, the EHEA represent the real ratio between different groups in society? Why is this issue important? What does creating a diversified HE really mean? Is it just
scholarship systems for underrepresented groups or is it a well thought analysis of hidden discrimination within curricula or
questioning still existing research papers supporting discrimination?
Aim
The overall aim of the ESC12 is to create students’ vision on HE beyond 2010. As we have as a starting point the statement „(HE) education for all”, how do we proceed in order to fulfill this vision? The aim of the workshop is to enable participants to differ basic terminology on issues of equality and equity, recognize the
problems on the issue within the system of higher education and in their respective countries and to brainstorm all areas of concern and possible combat strategies so that equality can be achieved.
Diversity within Higher Education
By Milica Popovic and Maarja Lühiste
Education is a major means of empowerment, one through which everyone can realize their potentials. In the world of labor market, it means that higher qualifications will bring better jobs and better salaries, along with higher social status and living standard in general. Higher education has a special responsibility in this
process. Therefore we can claim that the access to higher education will be an entrance ticket to a better life. In diverse societies it includes that all minority and underrepresented groups, too, must be warranted with the access to higher education.
The diversity of the society begins within education. Education area, especially higher education, is the indicator of the openness of the society. The traditional measure of a society’s openness is the degree to which the attainment of social position is associated with social origin. If there is an association between origins, education, and destinations such that the origin-destination association is weaker at higher levels of education, and if the share of the population with higher levels of education expands, then this compositional change can be expected to lead to an overall
Thus, higher education should value the diversity of people attending (and teaching at) its institutions. It is about valuing students with a diversity of talents and interests; students from diverse types of communities and parts of the nation; students from different age groups, social and economic classes; and students from diverse racial and ethnic groups. But it is not only about race, gender, age or ethnic origin. Much research shows that the
characteristics of the family of origin (such as parental socioeconomic status and education, cultural assets, social
networks, and parental motivation) are very closely associated with educational outcomes. The characteristics of the family of origin are associated with educational and labor market outcomes. This on the other hand indicates the degree of openness of societies.
Explanations and definitions A
Adverse impact
A significant difference in patterns of representation or outcomes between groups or individuals, with the difference amounting to a detriment for one or more groups or individual.
Affirmative action (“positive discrimination”)
Specific actions in recruitment, hiring, upgrading and other areas designed and taken for the purpose of eliminating the present effects of past discrimination, or to prevent discrimination.
D
Direct discrimination
Treating a person less favourably, or more favourably, than others, on grounds that are not justifiable, such as race, gender, disability or other status. This can include certain forms of harassment or abuse (see also ‘discrimination’ and ‘indirect discrimination’).
Disability
A physical or mental impairment which could have a substantial and long term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day -to-day activities.
Discrimination
Every legal or factual, direct or indirect differentiation and unequal conduct (giving privileges, excluding, imposing limitations) based on race, skin color, social, national and ethnic background, descent, birth, language, class, religious or political beliefs, sex/gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status or any other basis; with the aim of or resulting in deprivation or limitation of human rights and freedoms.
An incident of discrimination is any incident which is perceived to be discriminatory by the victim or any other person.
Diversity
Diversity literally means “variety”. Valuing diversity means valuing people and recognizing that everyone is unique/different but of equal worth.
E
Equality of Opportunity
This means treating people fairly without bias or discrimination, and always within the law. Everyone should be entitled to the same opportunities without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, disability, age, personal circumstances or any other basis.
Equality policy
A statement of an organisation’s commitment to the principle of equality of opportunity for all.
Equity of Access
The ultimate goal of attempts to widen access or to utilize affirmative action tools.
G
Gender
As distinct from 'sex' (which is biological), gender usually refers to socially/culturally constructed (invented) characteristics which are then attributed to the different biological sexes. If sex is 'female and male'; then gender is 'femininity and masculinity'.
Gender mainstreaming
The process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programmes, in all areas and at all levels.
I
Indirect Discrimination
This is treatment that appears to be fair and is applied to everybody equally, but has an unjustifiable adverse impact upon a particular group or person, with particular characteristics, attributes or circumstances.
Individual discrimination
Refers to the behavior of individual members of one
race/ethnic/gender or other group that is intended to have a differential and/or harmful effect on the members of another race/ethnic/gender or other group.
Institutional Discrimination
A case where discrimination is carried out by the behavior of
are intended to have a differential and/or harmful effect on minority race/ethnic/gender/or other groups.
Integration
An inter-dependent combination of equality, interaction and participation.
M
Mainstreaming
Introducing a certain aspect of analysis (gender, minorities, human rights etc) into all possible programming, planning and policy
making.
P
Prejudice
Literally means “pre-judgment”, forming a view about a person in advance. For example, racial prejudice is having a negative opinion or attitude about an individual or group based solely upon their race or skin colour.
R
Racism
Racism in general terms consists of conduct or words or practices which disadvantage or advantage people because of their colour, culture or origin. In its more subtle form, it is as damaging as when in its overt form.
S
Segregation
A segregated society is one in which members of different races or social groups rarely, if ever, come into contact with one another as equals. All aspects of daily life are separated, and contact between the races is regulated so that one race is always in a superior
position to the other. The most infamous examples are Apartheid of South Africa and the Caste system of India.
Social Exclusion
This term describes what happens to people who are deprived of good quality housing, suffer unemployment, low incomes, and poor health or live in areas of high level crime.
Social Inclusion
This is when all members of the community have equal access to health, social care and educational opportunities that many others take for granted.
Social Stratification
It means the presence of acknowledged differences in social status, political influence, and wealth among the people within a society or a sociological term for the hierarchical arrangement of social
terms of economics; however it can be used in reference to any segment of a socioeconomic class.
Structural Discrimination
This term refers to policies or practices that are discriminatory. In many cases the policies or practices might even look neutral but because of the different starting points are inherently
discriminative.
W
Widening Access
An umbrella term for the efforts of higher education institutions, governments and others to increase the participation in higher
education, especially for the underrepresented groups. This includes internal and curricular reform, affirmative action, promoting the use of qualifications framework, etc.9
But what restricts the social cohesion and the openness of the higher education and the society as a whole in the EU today?
The variety of reasons is really enormous – lack of previous education, unwelcoming atmosphere due to different basis of discrimination, lack of role models within minority communities, poverty imposing early entrance on the labor market etc. Another important aspect is that completion of higher education is also affected by discriminative conducts and prejudices, and logically influences the excellence of vulnerable groups’ students as well as drop out rates, due to the same myriad of reasons.
We can see two results of this elitist principle within higher
education – lack of opportunities for vulnerable groups to advance from poverty positions and influence their advancement on the labor market and also, diminishing the personal development of all students due to the lack of differentiated student body and
multicultural experiences which are enhancing the different approaches and developing critical thinking.
What has EU done so far?
Issues of equality and equity have been on EU’s table ever since both the Bologna and Lisbon processes have started. These two issues have been key priorities for EU Social Agenda.
9
ESIB policy paper on Social Dimension, adopted on BM50.
Newest EC communiqué “Efficiency and Equity in European
education and training systems”10 unfortunately reinforces our fears that the main perception of discrimination in access and success within higher education of EU stays within the financing and economy issues, often connected with the paradox stand that tuition fees will help equality and equity11. They do state the need to “mobilize the substantial pole of knowledge, talent and energy” without introducing or suggesting active measures to achieve these goals. EC does emphasize that it’s needed to “reinforce societal roles of universities in a culturally and linguistically diverse Europe”. But the main point has been missed out by EC – when referring to equity, they are excluding gender, racial background etc. So called “neutrality” is the standard mode of indirect discrimination –
treating in the same manner people with different starting points and circumstances.
Council of Europe in its “HE and Democratic culture: Citizenship, Human Rights and Civic responsibility Declaration” adopted on 23rd June 2006 in Strasbourg stated the need for “humane and just societies” and “universities as strategic institutions for the development of societies”.
The equality and equity along the social dimension have been stated in both Berlin communiqué from 2003 and then repeated in Bergen communiqué from 2005. Still there has been a lack of real progress within this issue in the Bologna process, and it is on its very
beginning.
On the other side, issues of inequalities have been tackled on a wider level within European Union. The most progress has been made in the field of gender equality. These achievements and success stories can be replicated into the higher education reform as well. As some of the EU statements on the issues are stating higher education as well as one of the needed areas of progress, this could be a good starting point for spill-over effect of introducing affirmative actions and measures.
What can we do? How do we reach diversity within HE by 2010?
Discrimination and inequalities are, unfortunately, a regular part of everyday life and enter all spheres of the social life. Stereotypes and prejudices, deeply seeded in our societies, are the first step
10 EC
COM(2006) 481 – Brussels, 08.09.2006. Available from the web at:
http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/2010/back_gen_en.html
11
Common argument pro introduction of tuition fees is that USA and Australia have only gained equality and equity with the private financing system of HE. Unfortunately, recent researches deny
towards discrimination. The basis of a democratic society is the provision of equal opportunities for all and protection from discrimination. Academic community, as a leader in progressive societal changes and example of an open society towards which we strive for, should be a discrimination-free space.
THINK ABOUT HOW CAN WE FIGHT PREJUDICES AND STEREOTYPES?
When talking about equality and equity within the higher education system, we need to look wider than only to the issue of financing and access. An overall mainstreaming process within the policy making and implementation needs to take place. Mainstreaming process has always as a starting point the question “Does this issue affects different groups in different ways?”.
DO YOU THINK MAINSTREAMING PROCESSES ARE A SOLUTION?
It leads us to the conclusion that the first step has to be an in-depth research on the issues from the student perspective on a European level.
ARE YOU AWARE ABOUT ANY EXISTING DATA ON DISCRIMINATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN YOUR COUNTRY?
University policies need to introduce equality aspect into all their fields – from access, through success to completion. Equal
opportunities policies along with anti-discrimination strategies and creation of anti-discrimination bodies would prove the political will of all relevant stakeholders to solve these issues. The right to protection from discrimination can be exercised only if there are existing efficient and accessible mechanisms for protection.
Discriminated groups face barriers throughout their whole education process – in curricula and textbooks, on exams, facing sexual
harassment and blackmailing, among their colleagues and HE staff through different discriminative commentaries etc.12 As free access does not guarantee social equity, when tackling the issue of
discrimination in higher education, we need to look into the
completion rates, average study time, graduate employment rates. All of these data needs to be segregated on minority and vulnerable
12
Student union of Serbia did two researches in 2004. One research was focused on gender equality and showed us that half of the student population faces gender based discrimination on a daily basis, while 40% of students knows for cases of sexual harassment and 21% know for cases of sexual blackmailing. The other research was showing the social distance among fellow students – around 80% of students would not accept to be roommates with student of homosexual orientation, Roma and Albanian students. www.sus.org.yu
groups. Only then the mainstreaming process would have a basis for further development and creation of a discrimination-free academic area.
WHAT DOES AN ANTI DISCRIMINATION POLICY ENCOMPASS?
Think if there is anything a student union can do on these issues… and what?
To search more into the ESIB position on these issues, look to following adopted policy papers:
www.esib.org/policies/ESIB_social_dim.pdf Social Dimension
www.esib.org/policies/nomeansno.htm No Means No (sexual
harassment)
www.esib.org/policies/racism.htm Racism
www.esib.org/policies/statementslesbiangay.pdf LGTB issues
www.esib.org/policies/equalopp.htm Equal Opportunities Policy
3.10. WS 9: Role of the European Union in education politics