On 24 September 2024, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice hosted the workshop Diversity and Inclusion: Ways Forward in Fostering Inclusive and Enriching Practices and Policies at the Aurora Universities organised in collaboration with the Aurora CDP Team at Palacký University in Olomouc (UP) and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU). The workshop took place within the Aurora Alliance Capacity Development Program (CDP) and was aimed at advancing the ways to support and implement inclusive strategies, policies and practices. At the beginning of the event, Silvia Ručinská, Vice-Rector for Internationalisation, presented the current conditions, strategies and policies of UPJŠ in the field of diversity and inclusion, followed by Aurora Alliance representatives Selma Porobic (Palacký University in Olomouc) and Oleksandr Khyzhniak (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) who provided an insight into the related Aurora Alliance activities.
During the panel session, the speakers Ľudmila Elbert (Faculty of Law), Želmíra Macejová (Faculty of Medicine), Jozef Benka (Faculty of Arts), Pavlína Flajšarová (Palacký University in Olomouc) and Puneet Bindlish (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) presented their views on the topic and shared experience and perspectives on diversity and inclusion within the university setting. The afternoon workshop section was divided into two sessions, one focused on student peer learning and the other on educational practices for academic staff. The two parallel workshop sessions resulted in discussion which brought together students, academicians and administrative staff to explore strategies for enhancing diversity and inclusion at the university. Participants left inspired and encouraged to help cultivate a more inclusive environment at Pavol Jozef Šafárik University and agreed that diversity should be seen as an opportunity to improve and adapt rather than a problem to be solved.
The organizational team would like to express their gratitude to partners at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Palacký University Olomouc, as well as to all the attendees and speakers and looks forward to future events devoted to the topic.
