A challenge across the UK Higher Education sector is developing a strategic position and framework for equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) to students who are studying in online and distance education (ODE) in countries with different legislative, cultural, and social contexts to the UK. This project employs design research, and recognises that marginalised communities’ experiences vary across borders, and the rights of some groups facing inequality are not often present across cultures. These global challenges could be addressed utilising an intersectional lens.
This research lens recognises that:
- our research will embrace how marginalised groups are represented differently across cultures
- national structures can influence students’ experiences; and,
- recognise that the political landscape of inclusion across borders differs.
By working with students as co-creators, this project aims to:
- better understand international equality and diversity challenges
- develop responsible solutions to support inclusive online cultures that enhance students’ experiences and promote safer spaces
- identify and provide opportunities and approaches which enable students to engage with questions of inclusivity, internationalisation, and decolonisation to enhance their experiences.
Collaborative Development Fund 2023-24
Check out the other Collaborative Development Funds projects.
Institutions
- University of London (lead)
- King’s College London
- University of the Arts London
Aims and objectives
The project’s objectives are:
- to work with international ODE students to discover themes and issues in inclusion, cultural sensitivity, and local safety; and inductively what other themes/issues that may emerge for this work
- to define an inclusive framework that will be available to students enrolled in online education; and,
- to develop and deliver an inclusive culture hub prototype for students to reflect and explore EDI resources that aspire to be globally inclusive, regionally sensitive, and locally safe.
Project outputs
The project will yield multiple outputs in line with the design research methodology, and include:
Discovery report
A brief discovery report premised on methods highlighted in the ‘timetable and key milestones’ table below will be led by Centre for Online and Distance Education (CODE) experts, to generate insights and evidence of what inclusion means to international students engaged in online and distance education.
Inclusion framework
A defined and co-created inclusion framework that can be strategically transferred to higher education institutions delivering a global online education.
Prototype of an inclusive cultures
Prototype of an inclusive cultures hub bringing to life the inclusion framework for online education, which can later be used as a case study and shared across the sector.
Project team
Dr Arun Verma
Head of Inclusion, University of London
Dr Linda Amrane-Cooper
Director of Academic Practice in Online and Distance Education and CODE, University of London
Jo Harris
Associate Director of Student Life, University of London
Tim Wade
Director of Student Registry Services, University of London
Dr Jonathan San Diego
Senior Lecturer and CODE Fellow, Kings College London
Sebastian May
Student Experience Lead, University of the Arts London