The second IDEM (Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity in Mobility) Bootcamp took place at the Universidade de Lisboa from January 30 to February 1, 2024. Participants came from six Unite! partner universities: Aalto University, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Grenoble INP-UGA, Universidade de Lisboa and Technische Universität Darmstadt. Politecnico di Torino, also joined as an associate partner.
One of IDEM’s objectives is to increase the number of underserved and underrepresented students participating in mobility programs by recognising and valuing individual needs and differences. After the Inclusion Training (Grenoble), and the first Bootcamp, dedicated to decision-making processes and self-exclusion in mobility (Barcelona), the Lisbon Bootcamp represented the third moment of collaborative work between students, staff, and teachers. The focus of these sessions was psychological safety and inclusive environments, as these are vital dimensions for students participating in mobility programs in Higher Education.
In Lisbon, participants designed a customer journey in which the simplification and centralisation of information, personalised support, and the ability of institutions to be flexible and accommodate the specific conditions of some students were identified as important aspects that could improve students’ mobility experience.
The existence of networks like Unite! that promote the sharing of experiences was also identified as a benefit; finally, listening to students and implementing their suggestions is a valuable way for institutions to be more inclusive.
The project team will analyse the solutions, ideas, and results generated at this bootcamp and integrate them into the IDEM Mobility Model and Toolkit. This will not only promote the mobility of students from underrepresented groups in the context of Unite! but also serve as a possible model for other European consortia involved in promoting more inclusive mobility among their students.
All project results are available on its website: idem-project.eu.