Following a challenging 2020, Arqus – the European University Alliance, comprising the University of Graz and six partners – has some ambitious plans for 2021. Over the next few weeks, the people at the University of Graz who are involved in the Arqus alliance will be reporting on what it has achieved so far and what objectives it has set itself for this year.
Today: Action Line 2 (AL2): “Widening Access, Inclusion and Diversity”
Contact at the University of Graz: Victoria Reszler (Curricula Development and Study Services, Rector’s Office)
Action Line 2 is all about opening up access to higher education for groups that are currently under-represented at the universities. What has Arqus achieved in this regard in its first year?
Our team began by getting an overview of the current situation facing our various target groups at the seven partner universities. We wanted to know: what forms of knowledge transfer are there for children and young people, and what specific services are available for people studying later in life? Are there already tangible offers for students from vulnerable groups? How much support are refugees getting? What kind of services are there for people with disabilities, chronic illnesses or psychological problems? How is diversity being actively embraced? Each of these areas is covered to a different extent at each of the universities.
And what happens next?
Amongst other things, we’re working on putting together an overview of the services offered to each target group at all seven Arqus universities, which will be presented together on a single platform at the end of the project. If, for instance, a wheelchair user is planning a mobility period at another university in the alliance, they shouldn’t have to do their own Internet research into possible support options but should be able to use our compilation of information instead. And, of course, by collecting all this data, we want to help make the various offerings at the Arqus universities more uniform. If you see how certain things are handled elsewhere, it can inspire you to expand and overhaul your own services.
Arqus’s first year was dominated by the Covid-19 pandemic, and many activities could not be implemented as planned. Looking back, is there anything positive that you’ll take from 2020?
We were lucky that our timetable didn’t have to be modified significantly. Of course, we had to tweak it here and there, but overall we stuck to our objectives. It was a shame that face-to-face meetings between AL 2 members were cancelled. However, it meant that we met online all the more regularly. Everyone is still working hard, and the team spirit is very strong. That also holds true for us here at the University of Graz. It’s not just me working for AL2: there are a number of “referees” in various departments, who are keeping me supplied with info, tips and suggestions from their fields of expertise. So I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them very much for that!