SERBIA
FACULTY OF LAW, BELGRADE UNIVERSITY
During their studies, students with special needs are provided with assistance when registering for exams, postponing or changing the examiner, submitting various requests and resolving them, usually via e-mails or phone, which saves money for travel expenses, especially for those students who are not from Belgrade. Students with disabilities are allowed to take exams in accordance with their needs – oral/written, separately from other students; they have at their disposal resources that facilitate access to teaching and teaching materials: a ramp for wheelchairs, a tactile map of the building for the visually impaired, e-textbooks for the visually impaired, the JAWS program for the visually impaired, an induction coil for speech amplification in the amphitheatre V for the hearing impaired.
UNIVERSITY OF NOVI SAD, Autonomous Province of VOJVODINA
In addition to providing support to students prior to and in the process of enrolment, the University Info-centre provides significant support to students in the process of studies by networking all relevant actors into a system of support service providers, the Info-centre continuously develops and improves the study of students with disabilities. In cooperation with partner institutions, the Info-centre mediates in providing personal assistance, finding an adapted form of literature and an adapted way of fulfilling pre-exam obligations and taking the exam, providing psycho-social protection services, etc. Furthermore, at the University, the Centre for Student Support of the Faculty of Philosophy (centarzapodrsku@ff.uns.ac.rs) provides significant support to students in the organization of everyday life, learning and fulfilling student obligations. Forms of support are peer mentoring, peer counselling, thematic workshops led by students under supervision, open doors three days a week and info-contacts. The “Live Upright” centre is one of the leading organizations dealing with the problems of people with disabilities and, among other things, it has developed two support services for students with disabilities: experiential counseling and personal assistance.
FACULTY OF PEDAGOGICAL SCIENCES in Jagodina, UNIVERSITY OF KRAGUJEVAC
Courses were created whose contents fully or partially cover the field of inclusive education at basic academic, master’s and doctoral studies. The study programmes encompassing individual subjects in the field of inclusive education, as well as scientific and professional literature, were created on the basis of relevant literature and representative research by domestic and foreign authors, as well as using experiences in working with students, both those who themselves come from socially deprived environments, as well as those who are particularly interested and sensitized to this issue; as well as the practical experiences of educators.
COLLEGE OF VOCATIONAL STUDIES FOR PRESCHOOL TEACHERS AND MEDICAL NURSES, Vršac, Autonomous Province Vojvodina
Roma students are provided with continuous mentoring support during their studies, especially in situations where they need to overcome some financial problems, when applying for additional scholarships, during crisis periods when, for personal, family or financial reasons, they are faced with problems that slow down or temporarily block their studies.
The school is known for its highly developed intercultural atmosphere. Every year, the Provincial Secretariat for Education finances excursions during which students of Roma nationality, in the company of their colleagues of other nationalities from the college, get to see the sights of certain parts of Serbia, which contributes to students becoming closer and friendlier.
Furthermore, all appropriate ceremonies and events that are organized several times during the school year take place in three languages, and a special ceremony is held on April 8, International Roma Day. Students of Roma nationality are always engaged and participate in project activities through which they get closer to Roma from other parts of our country and affirm their studies at this college.
ROMANIA
UAB
The support during academic studies consisted in organising career orientation counselling sessions for students in risk of abandonment to help them continue their studies as well as in providing IT support to students with lower income in order to facilitate optimal learning conditions for them.
UCV
The support during academic studies consisted in organising counselling programmes for underprivileged backgrounds students and students at risk (information, career advice, educational crisis support), satisfaction surveys, intersectorial career forums for employers.
UTCN
The support during academic studies consisted in organising information sessions by tutors regarding social grants, university management support in order to equip rooms in university hostel with facilities for students in wheelchairs.
PORTUGAL
UMa
Promoting Success and Reducing the Dropout rate in Higher Education – ID 19- Folder 53443- University of Madeira: WellBEING UMa comprising a set of initiatives, such as: cultural activities, mentoring, Wellbeing practices (to promote wellbeing), workshops to develop personal skills, teacher training on new pedagogical methodologies, initiatives for teachers promoted by the Student Observatory (1st edition – https://www.uma.pt/noticias/projeto-wellbeing-uma-wellbeing-spots/?contentid=117423), followed by a 2nd edition titled WellBEING UMa 2.0 (SER UMa É Bem-estar na UMa) under the Psychology Department Assistance intended to support students’ appointment, including the following online WellBEING Spots: Arts (Visual | Theatre | Reading and Writing), Sports (Sports Activities), Music (Choir | Musical Activities), available at: https://www.uma.pt/en/noticias/projeto-wellbeing-uma-2-0-ser-uma-e-bem-estar-na-uma/?contentid=150918
ITALY
UNICORE – UNIVERSITY CORRIDORS FOR REFUGEES
The project UNICORE University Corridors for Refugees aims to facilitate the access of refugee university students to specialized studies in Italy, helping them economically and socially. Thanks also to an extensive network of partners, scholarships, and mentors the students are supported in entering academic life and integrating into the local social fabric. A study grant helps them during their stay in Italy. Every refugee lives in a student residence, and has a mentor at the university and a volunteer family as a tutor to familiarize him with the environment and the social context.
ITASTRA – SCHOOL OF ITALIAN LANGUAGE FOR FOREIGNERS (UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS’ GROUPS) OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PALERMO
The School of Italian Language for Foreigners participates in and promotes international mobility projects with several foreign universities including Sichuan International Studies University (China). It is the official seat of the CILS exam thanks to an agreement with the University for Foreigners of Siena and organizes preparation courses for the test collaborates with the Level I Master’s in “Teaching Italian as a non-mother tongue” provided by Dipli and the Level II Master’s in “Theory, planning and teaching Italian as a second and foreign language”.
CNUPP – FOSTERING ACCESS TO UNIVERSITY STUDIES TO PERSON DEPRIVED OF FREEDOM (CNUPP NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CONFERENCE OF PRISON CENTERS)
CNUPP coordinates and develops the activities that universities implement to guarantee people deprived of personal freedom (detained or in external criminal execution or subjected to detention security measures) the possibility of exercising the right to pursue university study courses and to envisage a future after prison. CNUPP guidelines include: suitable accommodation of students in dedicated sections or in any case in contexts that favor study activities and relationships with teachers; adequate spaces for teaching and student access to libraries or other “necessary teaching tools”; facilitation of access and presence of teachers, tutors, and other staff who carry out teaching-related functions; facilitation of placements in specific institutes; guarantees of continuity of study paths with limitation of transfers that are not essential or requested by prisoners; taking care of communications from university managers to prisoners; extension of internet connections to all hubs as a condition of access to information from University sites, the possibility of online teaching, access to IT resources, contacts via audio-video connections, carrying out tests and exams.
FRANCE
UNIV’R project – University corridor to France
Specific topic covered: Scholarships for refugees
The UNIV’R project supports the participation of French-speaking refugees in the higher education. Through a multi-stakeholder approach, they are supported not only in their academic path, but also in social and inclusion challenges they might face in the university environment and in the community.
SPAIN
Disability and specific educational needs support service – PIUNE
Specific topic covered: Inclusion of students with disability and specific educational needs
The PIUNE service provides to students with disabilities or special education needs the pedagogical support needed to fully participate to their university path through: psycho-educationalists support in the academic process; exam adaptation; ICT advice; academic staff training; study booths; education material in alternative formats; classroom accessibility; support for mobility; exchange programmes.
UNIVERSITY OF ZARAGOZA, Spain
CampusRom Association, UNIVERSITY ROMA NETWORK
CampusRom was created to offer academic and social support to Roma people and thus increase their chances of success. CampusRom currently offers support to more than 100 Roma people studying secondary school, technical and professional degrees, university degrees, master’s degrees or doctorates. Furthermore, CampusRom offers support by encouraging the participation and leadership of Roma students in (higher) education, offering advice to public and private organisations and institutions to work together to contribute to the educational success of the whole student body, helping eradicate stereotypes and prejudices that exist about various minority groups, such as the Romany population, working in coordination with other networks or organizations at national and international level related to the defence of the human rights of disadvantaged groups, especially in the field of education.
GERMANY
Refugees Welcome! – Georg-August-Universitat Gottingen
Specific topic covered: Information centre for refugees
During their studies, refugee students are offered different services: language courses; library offerings; an international writing lab; aid for scholars at risk; German lessons and participation to intercultural events; a refugee law clinic; a group of psychology students providing psychological counselling for refugees and migrants in Göttingen.
LITHUANIA
VILNIUS UNIVERSITY, LITHUANIA.
Gender-inclusive language manifests gender equality through language. In language, gender equality is attained when women, men and non-binary gender system representatives are addressed through language as persons of equal value, dignity, integrity and respect. The target group as well as the users of these guidelines include all community members of Vilnius University. Although the use of gender-sensitive language is not formally regulated, linguistic awareness is expected to be raised from all the members of the Vilnius university community.
Language used in HEIs by educators, in academic documents is extremely influential, because it provides a model for students, community and society as a whole. Word choices reflect notions about gender roles and help in promotion of unbiased and un-discriminatory values. First steps in using more inclusive language habits may be inconvenient, however practicing it may soon become a conscious use (like waste sorting). Internal policies, methodological recommendations, presentations, internal and external communication templates should use gender-inclusive language; HEI authorities support is needed, as well.
UNITED KINGDOM
UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM
During the studies the institution invests efforts to secure access to mentors for LGBTQ-identified student, as well as inclusion of topics, themes and readings about LGBTQ identities. Furthermore, avoiding hetero-normative and cis-normative language is recommended. The staff is supported to be more inclusive by developing more inclusive teaching materials and contents, and students confirm that these good practices address their needs.
UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS
During the studies, the University of Leeds offers various form of assistance to students. Starting university is a huge life change. The University helps students settle in and build their new home. Due to numerous transitions throughout one´s time at Leeds, students are probably privately renting for the first time, or starting to write dissertation. The University supports them with these changes throughout their time in Leeds. It also offers support to student success – personally and academically. They do this by helping students access support they might need so that they can focus on their studies.