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Universities join forces for diversity and inclusion in Europe
Representatives of the European university alliance NEOLAiA met in Ostrava to sign the D&I NEOcharter of Bielefeld University.
Universities join forces for diversity and inclusion in Europe
On May 16, 2025, representatives of the nine partner universities of the European University Alliance NEOLAiA met in Ostrava, Czech Republic. Among those present was Bielefeld University, which plays a key role in the current developments within the alliance. The highlight of the meeting was the ceremonial signing of the D&I NEOcharter, which was developed as part of a work package on diversity and inclusion and is coordinated by Bielefeld University. The Rector Professor Dr. Angelika Epple and Professor Dr. Michaela Vogt signed the charter on behalf of the university.
The D&I NEOcharter reaffirms the Alliance's commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion and outlines key principles and commitments for an inclusive higher education environment. All members of the alliance are committed to aligning their approaches with these principles in order to achieve sustainable improvements in diversity and participation at universities. The international working group, led by Professor Dr. Michaela Vogt and her co-leader Dr. Amelie Labusch played a key role in the development and implementation of this charter. The support from experts from Bielefeld University was crucial for this process.
Strategic discussions and workshops
The meeting in Ostrava lasted from May 13th to 15th and, in addition to the signing of the NEOcharter, included strategic discussions about the future activities of NEOLAiA as well as workshops to deepen D&I topics. Representatives of various committees and delegates from new European universities were invited to exchange best practices. A focus of the work package is the development of D&I values and guidelines, which are represented by the NEOcharter.
The alliance also pays particular attention to collecting best practice examples in a database (D&I NEObest) as well as training and mentoring programs for employees and students (D&I NEOstaff and D&I NEOmentors). These initiatives are intended to help promote an inclusive climate at universities and ensure the integration of diversity concepts into everyday university life.
European university alliances at a glance
In the context of the European University Alliances, the NEOLAiA Alliance pursues similar goals to other alliances that have been launched since the request from EU member states in 2017. There are now a total of 41 university alliances that implement concepts to promote diversity and equal opportunities regardless of origin, socioeconomic background or health status. These alliances, which also include ENGAGE.EU, ENLIGHT, EUniWell and EuroTeQ, develop sustainable concepts for equal opportunities and intercultural learning.
For example, ENGAGE.EU focuses on facilitating access to education. The alliances promote scholarships for underrepresented groups and support exchange students in financing their stays abroad. ENLIGHT, on the other hand, aims to reduce marginalization and strengthen participation by developing concepts for equal opportunities. In addition, EUniWell promotes diversity in teacher training and EuroTeQ establishes innovative learning formats that enable interdisciplinary learning.
The implementation of these ambitious goals requires strong commitment and collaboration between universities in Europe, which is further driven by the NEOLAiA Alliance and its D&I NEOcharter. This not only promotes diversity in the education sector, but also improves the potential for future generations to take advantage of equal opportunities in the education sector.