EDIxUZH
With its EDIxUZH project, UZH is participating in the Swiss federal program P7 for supporting equal opportunities, diversity and inclusion at all levels of higher education. This project is the University’s next organizational development step in equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI). As a public institution of higher education and an employer with significant national and international reach, UZH views its commitment to EDI not only as a reflection of its values but also as an opportunity to create fair and lasting social conditions within the University. Such conditions must exist in order for UZH to achieve excellence in research, teaching and its other core tasks. The EDIxUZH project and its nine subprojects outlined below play a key role in helping UZH achieve this goal.
swissuniversities’ program for equal opportunities (German)
Table of contents
- Contact for the project EDIxUZH
- EDI Policy and Data
- Reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities or chronic illnesses
- Accessibility Coaches (aCoaches )
- “Gender und Diversity konkret” Module
- Supporting First-Generation Students
- Web Page RSB
- Certification Pilot Project at Faculty of Science
- Diversity-Sensitive Events
- Theater for Change
Contact for the project EDIxUZH
University of Zurich
Office for Equality, Diversity, Inclusion (EDI)
Karin Gilland Lutz
E-Mail to Karin Gilland Lutz
Contact information for the individual sub-projects can be found below.
EDI Policy and Data
This EDIxUZH subproject aims to consolidate UZH’s existing approach to EDI policy and data to enable UZH’s approach to be aligned with future requirements. This subproject aims to develop an EDI policy that replaces existing policies, satisfies the University’s requirements and anticipates future requirements. It also aims to define relevant (data) indicators that make it possible to implement the policy in a strategic, evidence-based manner and that provide information on the policy’s effectiveness. Both the policy and the data indicators should strengthen the intersectional aspect of UZH’s fundamental approach to EDI.
Contact
University of Zurich
Office for Equality, Diversity, Inclusion (EDI)
Karin Gilland Lutz
E-Mail to Karin Gilland Lutz
Reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities or chronic illnesses
This EDIxUZH subproject aims to improve the process for handling academic adjustments for students with disabilities or chronic illnesses in light of current developments. This process should be made simpler and more efficient for both students and UZH in order to ease the burden on all those involved. The project team will receive external support as it develops recommendations for measures that will simplify the organizational aspects of the academic accommodations process. The newly defined process will then be fully implemented and digitized during the implementation phase. The project team will receive external support during this final phase as well.
Contact
University of Zurich
Disability Office
Ulla Blume
+41 (0) 44 634 45 44
E-Mail to Ulla Blume
Weiterführende Links
Accessibility Coaches (aCoaches )
In order promote inclusive teaching at the University, this EDIxUZH subproject aims to train students to become accessibility coaches (aCoaches) so they can then assist UZH instructors with developing and using more accessible teaching approaches and materials. Experienced instructors will design a training course for aspiring aCoaches, which is to be offered via the School for Transdisciplinary Studies as part of the Start! Teaching for Students module and will be worth one ECTS credit. The course will cover the following topics:
- cultural and organizational aspects of inclusion
- the “design for all” concept
- accessibility and the goal of accessible teaching
- technological support and e-accessibility
- development of accessible teaching and learning materials
- accessible teaching skills
Contact
University of Zurich
Institute of Education
Bettina Kunz
E-Mail to Bettina Kunz
“Gender und Diversity konkret” Module
Gender and diversity are extremely relevant academic and societal topics that influence research approaches and how the social order is structured. This EDIxUZH subproject aims to raise students’ awareness of the importance of gender and diversity in the economy, society and academia. Pedagogically innovative teaching and learning methods are used in the Gender und Diversity konkret module (e.g. co-teaching and game-based learning), and participants are encouraged to exchange ideas and engage in self-reflection. The module enables participants to identify aspects of given context that are relevant to gender and diversity and relate them to their own experiences. Initially, this module is being piloted as a flagship course worth three ECTS credits and is part of the core inter- and transdisciplinary courses offered at the School for Transdisciplinary Studies.
Contact
University of Zurich
Institute of Asian and Oriental Studies
Sandra Winheller
E-Mail to Sandra Winheller
Further links
Supporting First-Generation Students
In the first phase of this EDIxUZH subproject, all UZH students will be surveyed in order to obtain information about the specific needs and challenges of first-generation students. A report containing survey results and related recommendations will be submitted to the Executive Board of the University. In the subproject’s second phase, specific resources will be developed that can be offered to first-generation students. This subproject aims to lay the foundation for ensuring equal opportunities for and a longer-term integration of first-generation UZH students.
Contact
University of Zurich
Office for Equality, Diversity, Inclusion (EDI)
Tanja Neve-Seyfarth
E-Mail to Tanja Neve-Seyfarth
Further links
Web Page RSB
This EDIxUZH subproject aims to create an updated and more extensive web page for the regulations to ensure protection against sexual harassment ("Reglement zum Schutz vor sexueller Belästigung an der Universität Zürich," in the following RSB). It will provide UHZ staff and students with proper information about their rights and options and enable them to take action. Moreover, the web page should clearly convey UZH’s zero tolerance policy on sexual harassment as an educational institution and employer.
Contact
University of Zurich
Office for Equality, Diversity, Inclusion (EDI)
Karena Weduwen
E-Mail to Karena Weduwen
Further links
Certification Pilot Project at Faculty of Science
In order to systematically expand its efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion (EDI), the Faculty of Science is piloting the Athena Swan process at the faculty level. This EDIxUZH subproject aims to incorporate the faculty’s EDI efforts into its processes. It also prepares the Faculty of Science for upcoming changes related to institutional accreditation and to European research funding. This subproject is supported by the Advance HE organization.
Contact
University of Zurich
Faculty of Science
Sara Petchey
E-Mail to Sara Petchey
Further links
Diversity-Sensitive Events
This EDIxUZH subproject aims to gain a deeper understanding of inclusive events and to promote their operationalization throughout UZH to the greatest extent possible. UZH’s Events Management team has already published a guideline for sustainable events (in English and German) and an information sheet on accessible events (in German). This subproject intends to add to these important resources by creating a comprehensive guideline for diversity-sensitive events. The guideline’s list of recommendations is to include different dimensions of diversity that have been identified in general surveys, research on social inclusion and exclusion mechanisms at university events and existing event guidelines related to diversity developed by other higher education institutions.
Contacts
University of Zurich
Office for Equality, Diversity, Inclusion (EDI)
Karena Weduwen
E-Mail to Karena Weduwen
University of Zurich
President's Services
Marion Kessler
E-Mail to Marion Kessler
Further links
Theater for Change
This EDIxUZH subproject aims to increase the awareness of EDI issues that come up in working, teaching and learning situations at the University. To do this, a one-hour workshop will be developed consisting of performances of true-to-life vignettes and facilitated segments. The vignettes will address relevant topics and illustrate inclusion and exclusion mechanisms, prompting the audience to develop concrete suggestions for improving the situation. This subproject was inspired by the CRLT Players at the University of Michigan and will be carried out by the Blueprint Masquerades English theater group (consisting of students from UZH and ETH).
Contact
Blueprint Masquerades
UZH & ETH English Theater Club
E-Mail to Blueprint Masquerades