Yesterday IDEA Center hosted a learning session with University College Dublin (UCD), Ireland, who are internationally known for their inclusive welcoming practices. Erasmus University Rotterdam colleagues across different departments and faculties were invited to learn about UCD’s “ALL Welcome” programme that is offered to their new students at the start of the academic year.
It was inspiring to hear from Dr Bairbre Fleming and Dr Lisa Padden about their initiatives and experiences. One message was particularly loud and clear: inclusivity is everyone’s business, not just the responsibility of one team. Everyone from academics to support staff need to act as ‘mentors of the moment’ who welcome students relentlessly. “We do not want to teach students to ‘fit in’, that’s not the objective. We want everyone to feel at home and we want to create a culture where we (constantly) ask ‘how are you’, and then really listen to the answer”.
