Transform4Europe Diversity and Inclusion Strategy
Committed to a diverse, inclusive, and equitable European university
About
Transform4Europe (T4EU) has adopted the Diversity and Inclusion Strategy for the period 2024–2027 as a core part of its vision to build an integrated European university grounded in shared values. This strategy aims to ensure that mobility, interdisciplinarity, and inclusion are standard across all campuses within the Alliance, fostering an academic environment that is fair and accessible to all.
Three Key Action Areas
The strategy is structured around three main pillars that comprehensively address the different dimensions of equality and inclusion:
- 1. Non-Discrimination: Create an academic environment free from any form of discrimination, where differences are respected and equal opportunities are guaranteed. This includes promoting anti-discrimination protocols, thematic events, curricular inclusion, and cooperation with local organizations.
- 2. Gender Equality: Integrate gender equity across all levels of the partnership, from research and teaching to decision-making processes. Measures include balanced representation at events, incentives for inclusive research projects, and annual progress monitoring.
- 3. Inclusion of People with Disabilities: Ensure full access to university life by removing physical and digital barriers and promoting active participation of students with disabilities. Actions include accessibility standards for events, peer support programs, staff training, and adapted academic offerings.
Concrete Measures
Highlighted actions include:
- Biannual diversity-themed events during T4EU Weeks.
- Cross-disciplinary training modules on inclusion.
- Thematic communications on key dates such as Pride Day and International Women’s Day.
- Inclusive project incentives in research calls.
- Peer-to-peer support and volunteer programs for students.
Monitoring and Continuous Improvement
The strategy includes a robust monitoring process with annual reports from each university and a joint report to assess overall progress. The aim is to cultivate a university community that is increasingly inclusive, aware, and cohesive.
Access the full document: The Transform4Europe Diversity and Inclusion Strategy is publicly available in the T4EU repository. You can access the full document here: T4EU Diversity Strategy (PDF file, 186 KB)
Diversity Activities
We promote inclusion, diversity, and well-being to foster a sustainable and welcoming campus environment for both students and staff. This commitment is grounded in a long-term strategy supported by a range of actions—both low- and high-effort—that contribute to meaningful change. These include developing a shared green identity, strengthening diversity and inclusiveness across all partner institutions, and enhancing the overall campus experience and study/work conditions for the entire T4EU community.
The First Diversity & Inclusion Event ‘Bridging Communities: Dialogue and Action for Inclusive Future’ was organised by the University of Primorska and the University of Alicante (task leader) at a joint T4EU Week by the University of Primorska and the University of Trieste; the event successfully tested the concept of preparing guidelines and manuals for a successful organisation, and the university itself found a topic relevant to the environment. The event managed to bring together academia and external stakeholders, attracting many T4EU participants.
The event was opened by a keynote speech by Prof. Dr. Vlado Kotnik, UP FHŠ, followed by a roundtable entitled ‘Voices of Inclusion: Navigating Community, Identity, and Challenges in a Diverse Europe’, moderated by UP FHŠ professors: Assist. Prof. Dr. Tadej Praprotnik; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alenka Janko Spreizer. The list of panellists included scientists and representatives of different organizations working in the field and presenting different themes:
- Borut Jerman (‘Empowering Diversity: Local Projects’, Programmes and Initiatives for Inclusive Communities, PINA),
- Maja Vranješ (‘Integration of the Serbian community into the urban fabric of the city of Trieste’, Uni TS),
- Zaira Vidau (‘Current sociopolitical challenges of the Slovene Community in Italy’, The Slovene Research Institute (SLORI)),
- Sandi Horvat (‘Being Roma: an advantage or a hindrance?’, Roma Academic Club),
- Dr. Marko Gavriloski Tretjak (‘Mapping the Silence: Exploring challenges and barriers for LGBT+ youth in an educational context Faculty of Pedagogy’, UP PEF),
The event was followed by a survey, showing that participants were particularly satisfied with the format and content of the event. All survey suggestions were carefully reviewed and implemented in a meaningful way in future events.
Photo by Transform4Europe
The Second Diversity & Inclusion Event ‘Accessible University’ was held during the T4EU Week at the University of Silesia, aimed at introducing participants to the essence of the right of access to human rights for people with disabilities. The right to education is one of the fundamental human rights. Through contact with people with disabilities, we were able to understand the barriers they face and the solutions that enable them to equally participate in various aspects of education. We also discussed what we can do to make events at T4EU accessible to people with mobility and communication disabilities.
The event was followed by an online questionnaire (Google forms) that was distributed among all attendees at the end of the event via a QR code. The feedback questionnaire was prepared in order to better understand the level of satisfaction of the attendees concerning the Second Diversity and Inclusion Event.
Photo by Przemysław Kowal
The Third Diversity & Inclusion Event “Inclusive Mobility: Breaking Barriers in International Education” was hosted by Jean Monnet University during the T4EU Week and explored, in a very practical way, the main obstacles that students, academic staff, and administrative staff encounter when participating in international mobility. The session brought together inclusion specialists from several T4EU universities and centred on five real cases illustrating challenges related to disability, financial vulnerability, visual impairment, sexual harassment during mobility, and parenthood in doctoral studies.
One of the most distinctive aspects of this event was the active involvement of students, who served as moderators during the group work sessions. Their role enriched the discussions and helped create a dynamic environment where participants could reflect on each case and propose realistic solutions to strengthen inclusive mobility across the alliance.
The feedback highlighted the value of the collaborative format and the relevance of the scenarios. Participants appreciated the chance to work hands-on with authentic situations and recognised the event as a meaningful step towards building more accessible and supportive mobility pathways within Transform4Europe. Suggestions for future editions included extending the group-work time and focusing on fewer topics to explore them more deeply.
Photo by Transform4Europe
The Fourth Diversity & Inclusion Event “University for All: Building LGBTQ+ Inclusion,” organised by Vytautas Magnus University, offered a space for open dialogue and reflection on how universities can create safer, more respectful, and more inclusive environments for LGBTQ+ individuals. Led by two psychologists specialised in gender and sexuality studies, the session combined a concise introduction on the importance of inclusion with interactive small-group activities.
Participants worked together to share experiences, discuss everyday challenges in academic life, and identify practical measures that institutions can implement. The event concluded with a collective set of recommendations to strengthen LGBTQ+ inclusion in areas such as communication practices, community-building, confidentiality mechanisms, and non-discrimination protocols.
Feedback praised the clarity and accessibility of the activities, as well as the opportunity to learn alongside colleagues from different universities. Participants expressed interest in dedicating more time to the workshop and exploring topics in greater depth. Overall, the event stood out for its participatory approach and its contribution to fostering safer and more inclusive university environments across Transform4Europe.
Repository
- Reasonable accommodations during studies – A guide for students with disabilities or chronic diseases (2023) (pdf, 2.16 MB)
- University of the Greater Region Charter: Education, Research and Mobility for All (pdf, 987 KB)
- Diversity Orientation Training for Transform4E urope (DOT 2025) (pdf, 1.64 MB)
- Family Office Brochure – Family, one dimension of diversity (2023) (pdf, 4.18 MB)
- Gender Equality Plan (2021–2025) (pdf, 2.02 MB)
- Strategies for Diversity and Inclusion (internal summary) (docx, 987 KB)
- Disability Accommodations Information (website)
- Meeting Autism Students (poster)
- Walk & Talk about Depression (poster)
- Diversity Ambassadors Network (web resource)
- Diversity Discrimination Report Form (web resource)
- Family – One Dimension of Diversity (web resource)
- Diversity Game for Teachers (web resource)
- Diversity Room (web resource)
- Resources for the LGBTQIA+ Community (web resource)
- Gender Equality Plan 2022–2025 (pdf, 95 KB)
- Code of Ethics (2023) (pdf, 62 KB)
- The Estonian Academy of Arts – Diversity Overview (2024) (pdf, 75 KB)
- EKA Diversity Presentation (internal overview) (pdf, 2.27 MB)
- EKA Development Plan 2021–2025 (mentioned in several documents)
- Gender Equality Plan 2021–2027 (rev. 2024) (pdf, 876 KB)
- Inclusion and Diversity Strategy in Mobility Programmes 2023–2027 (pdf, 179 KB)
- Strategy for the Integration of Flexible Forms of Learning and Teaching 2023–2027 (pdf, 299 KB)
- Rules on Students with Special Needs (2019) (pdf, 127 KB)
- Individualised Plan of Support for Students with Special Needs (docx, 65 KB)
- Attachments to the Individualised Plan (docx, 59 KB)
- Application for the Status of a Student with Special Needs (docx, 68 KB)
- Rules on Special Statuses of Students (2022) (pdf, 152 KB)
- Application for Special Status of Student (docx, 47 KB)
- Implementation Plan: Right of Deaf Persons to Use Slovene Sign Language (2025–2028) (pdf, 228 KB)
- Rules on the Tutoring System at UP (2022) (pdf, 504 KB)
- Form 1 – Student Application for Tutoring (pdf, 229 KB)
- Form 2 – Application Form for Being a Tutor (pdf, 229 KB)
- Form 3 – Certificate of Tutoring Work (pdf, 331 KB)
- Form 4 – Student Tutor Work Report (pdf, 371 KB)
- Form 5 – Teacher Tutor Work Report (pdf, 279 KB)
- AgriGEP Project – Gender-Based Violence Training Pack (pptx, 1.40 MB)
- AgriGEP Project – GBV Group Activity (pdf, 78 KB)
- AgriGEP Project – GBV Trainer’s Activity Notes (pptx, 939 KB)
- AgriGEP Project – GBV Evaluation Test (docx, 59 KB)
- AgriGEP Project – Gender in Research (4-hour Training) (pptx, 2.40 MB)
- AgriGEP Project – Gender in Research Activity 1 (docx, 54 KB)
- AgriGEP Project – Gender in Research Activity 2 (docx, 57 KB)
- AgriGEP Project – Including Gender in Agrifood Systems Teaching (Short Training) (pptx, 23.9 MB)
- AgriGEP Project – Gender in Teaching Webinar (pptx, 15.6 MB)
- AgriGEP Project – Short Training Checklist (docx, 48 KB)
- AgriGEP Project – Transformative Training Checklist (docx, 49 KB)
- AgriGEP Project – Transformative Training Syllabus Template (docx, 87 KB)
- AgriGEP Project – Flyer (Overview) (pdf, 4 MB)
- Abstracts of AgriGEP Symposium 2023 (pdf, 675 KB)
- Abstracts of AgriGEP Symposium 2024 (pdf, 602 KB)
- Useful Links for International Students (pdf, 602 KB)
- Tutoring Portal – University of Primorska
- Welcome Portal – University of Primorska
- AgriGEP Project Website
- AgriGEP Project Flyer-1 (pdf, 4 MB)
- Accessibility Information – University Buildings
- Video Information about the University
- Educational Adjustment to Special Needs
- Equal Treatment Office – Main Page
- Gender Equality Plan
- Antidiscrimination Materials – What to Know About Discrimination
- How to React to Discrimination?
- How Not to Discriminate?
- What Is Mobbing?
- What Is Harassment?
- University Community Survey Reports
- Where to Look for Support
- Anti-Mobbing Policy
- Prevention of Sexual Harassment
- Violation Reporting Platform
- Universal Gender Equality Plan Creator (GEPARD project)
- Handbook: Modelling of Diagnostic, Monitoring and Evaluation Activities in Gender Equality
- Paths to Equality Toolkit
- Gender Equality in Academic Teaching – An Interdisciplinary Perspective
- Raising Awareness Campaign (video playlist)
- Anti-Discrimination Campaign – University Free from Discrimination
- Is All Hate Speech Hate Speech?
- How to Respond to Hate Speech?
- Language Discrimination Against People in Mental Health Crisis
- Diverse and Inclusive Campus – Presentation (G. Tamaro, 2024) (pptx, 1.57 MB)
- Diversity and Inclusive Strategies – Good Practices (pdf, 249 KB)
- Pro-BENE-COMUNE Project Presentation (pdf, 4.09 MB)
- 2024 Disability and SLD Services Report (pdf, 187 KB)
- CNUDD Guidelines (pdf, 1.66 MB)
- Guidelines for Lecturers – SLD Students (2022) (pdf, 136 KB)
- Guidelines for Students – SLD at University (2022) (pdf, 225 KB)
- DSA Training Proposal – February 2024 (pdf, 154 KB)
- Seminar for Disability and SLD Delegates – June 2024 (pdf, 197 KB)
- Tutor Meeting – February 2024 (pdf, 356 KB)
- Seminar for Tutors on Disability and SLD – June 2024 (pdf, 197 KB)
- Training Series for Tutors – May 2024 (pdf, 151 KB)
- Seminar “Promoting Well-being at University” – KCL & UniTS (Nov 2024) (pdf, 1 MB)
- Oltre le Barriere – Disability, Work and Integration Tools (Dec 2024) (pdf, 131 KB)
- Strategic Plan 2021–2027 (pdf, 226 KB)
- Disability Policy – University of Inclusive Opportunities (pdf, 363 KB)
- Guide to Opportunities (2024) (pdf, 2.79 MB)
- Gender Equality Plan 2021–2025 (pdf, 416 KB)
- Description of Procedure for Prevention of Sexual Harassment and Gender-Based Violence (pdf, 134 KB)
- VMU Disability Policy Presentation – University of Inclusive Opportunities (pdf, 363 KB)
- Strategies on Inclusion and Diversity (2024) (pptx, 399 KB)
- IV Equality Plan between Women and Men (2022–2025) (pdf, 3.23 MB)
- Second Monitoring Report of the IV Equality Plan (2024) (pdf, 873 KB)
- Vice-Rectorate for Social Responsibility, Inclusion and Equality
- University Social Responsibility Unit
- Service-Learning Programme (ApS)
- Equality Unit
- What to Do in Case of Harassment
- What to Do in Case of Gender Violence
- Support Resources Abroad
- Diversity Unit
- Disability Support Office
- Centre for Student Attention (CAE)
- Accessible Resources at the UA
- Psychological and Psycho-pedagogical Counselling
- Sexological Counselling
- Counselling for Gifted Students
- Digital Accessibility Portal
- Index of Digital Accessibility Content
- Affective-Sexual Diversity Unit
- Affective-Sexual Diversity Support and Guidance
- Affective-Sexual Diversity Regulations
- Ethnic and Cultural Diversity Unit
- Ethnic and Cultural Diversity Support and Guidance
- Ethnic and Cultural Diversity Regulations
