Equality in higher education
Project 2021–2023
Promoting equality is important for educational equity and student wellbeing, and harassment contact person activities are seen as an important part of this work. Many student organisations have worked on equality for several years and have harassment contact persons. However, training and materials for this work have been limited despite demand. To meet this need, we have developed the Equality in Higher Education project.
The project aims both to promote equality work in higher education institutions and to give student organisation representatives tools to carry it out. It develops higher education communities’ expertise in equality issues and in organising harassment contact person activities. In particular, it aims to strengthen these activities, establish consistent practices and create a model for equality work in higher education communities that also supports harassment contact persons.
To achieve the project’s objectives, SAMOK will organise several training sessions and produce materials for higher education institutions and student organisations. The training will also form the basis of an online course for new harassment contact persons, which will remain available for independent study after the project ends. The project will also collect research data on students’ experiences of harassment, discrimination and bullying.
The project is implemented in cooperation with higher education institutions, student organisations and other stakeholders. Representatives of universities of applied sciences, their student unions, universities and university student unions will be invited to the project’s steering group. The project runs for two years and ends in spring 2023.
Further information about the project:
Ninni Kuparinen
Wellbeing Policy Adviser
040 164 7992
[email protected]
Equality in Higher Education study
An equality study was carried out as part of the project. The study was produced by the Research Foundation for Studies and Education Otus sr. It examined higher education students’ experiences of inappropriate treatment and equality practices in higher education communities.
Data were collected as part of the Student Barometer 2022 survey. The results have been analysed for students at universities of applied sciences, with further results to be published in autumn 2022.
Training sessions and workshops held during the project
Workshops
- Equality work in student union activities 8/2021
- The workshop was aimed at elected student union representatives
- Interactive workshop on safe spaces 10/2021
- The workshop was aimed at student union chairs and vice chairs, executive directors and secretaries general
- Fundamentals of equality planning 4/2022
- The workshop was aimed at elected representatives and staff of student unions
Training
- Training for harassment contact persons 8/2021
- The training was aimed at harassment contact persons in student unions and subject associations, and those responsible for coordinating these activities
- Safe space training 1/2022
- The training was aimed at elected representatives and staff of student unions
- Training for harassment contact persons 2/2022
- The training was aimed at harassment contact persons in student unions and subject associations, and those responsible for these activities
The project is funded by
