On 3 October, it was Diversity Day in the Netherlands, and at UT, it was no exception. Focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion is always crucial, not just on Diversity Day but every day. It's not because it's trendy or because organisations “have to do it”, but because everyone should feel at home at UT. Being treated equally and genuinely feeling that your contributions are noticed and valued is a fundamental need for everyone. That's why, on 3 October, UT’s DE&I Team engaged in extensive discussions with people who stopped by their meeting place in Hal B of the Waaier building, exploring what changes or enhancements they'd like to see in terms of diversity, equity, and inclusion. In the afternoon, a workshop on how to view diversity, equality, and inclusion as fundamental core values was conducted. Curious to know more? Read on.
It was great to speak with many people about what matters to them. Together, we assessed what they are already doing and what can be improved. Some ideas that were jotted down and discussed included creating more safe and accessible spaces on campus for people to gather, expanding the buddy system, and providing more resources for seeking help at UT if someone has experienced something unpleasant or painful. These are just a few examples that were documented and deliberated upon. Other ideas included investigating the possibility of organising a Kick-In event specifically for women students, especially in programmes where they are underrepresented, or creating a space for students and staff of colour to come together and share ideas and experiences. There was even a suggestion to place a piano somewhere on campus where everyone can freely play.
Action plan, strategy, and working on a new development plan
Each of these interesting ideas will be assessed and – if feasible - incorporated into the upcoming DE&I Development Plan for UT, which will outline the actions and steps to make our culture, policies, and practices gradually more inclusive over the next two years. This development plan, along with specific development objectives, will be available in 2024. For now, the current DE&I Action Plan remains in effect. You can read more about how UT views DE&I and how we work on it together in this news item.
Training DE&I as standard core values for everyone
In the afternoon, the focus shifted to how one can integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion as core values in everything they do on a daily basis. It doesn't matter if you are involved in policy-making, research, teaching, or participating in a meeting – as trainer Nicole Kienhuis emphasised during the training: "It's essential to be aware of your own position and perspective. Sometimes, you may not give it much thought, but when you are conscious of it and are critical of yourself, you often become better at truly listening to others and recognising that not everyone is always treated equally. Or given the opportunity to develop and contribute." The training included a mix of theory, examples, and exercises that participants (students and staff) carried out together. It highlighted how challenging it can be to speak up when you witness or experience something that isn't okay. This underscores the importance of considering equity and inclusion as something normal, something we work on every day. That also explicitly includes consistently addressing issues that are not okay, such as racism, discrimination, neglect, or exclusion. This is the only way we can collectively make a difference. Because UT, that’s simply all of us together, with all our differences and similarities. Just take a moment to watch this video clip!
Interested in learning how to work on DE&I?
Are you curious about the training and would like to do it with your team or department? Contact our UT Language Centre through the Course Finder, and they will help you explore how you can conduct the "Beyond the label: DE&I as core values at UT" training with your colleagues or fellow students. If you have a question, comment, or if you'd like to work on DE&I in any other way, please let us know through diversity-ga@utwente.nl. Alternatively, you can check out our website or visit the DE&I Topic Page for more information. You can also follow us on Instagram via @utwentedei or sign up to receive news via the Service Portal. To do so, simply subscribe to the "inclusion" topic.
