How do WUR students and staff feel about diversity and inclusion at Wageningen, and how does this compare to the opinions at other university colleges and universities? To answer this question, 19 university magazines, among which Resource, have designed a survey that is to be divulged at each institute.
The Progress Flag has been flying on the campus since last week, and last week’s Diversity & Inclusion week showed that the topic is highly current. Meetings such as the one on bias or neurological diversity had an excellent turnout. But how do students and staff feel about diversity and inclusion at WUR? How good or bad is the situation?
This survey aims not just to illuminate the opinions and experiences in Wageningen but also to provide insight into diversity and inclusion at other educational institutes through collaboration with other universities and university colleges. However, Resource needs your help: complete the survey! It will take about ten minutes of your time.
In addition to gathering opinions, there is also room in the study for personal experiences. Are there students or employees that feel excluded or discriminated against? And if so, do they know where to turn?
You may also indicate whether you are open to being contacted by a Resource reporter to share more details about your experiences. Discretion is guaranteed. The survey is available until the end of October, after which Resource and the other magazines will process the results in a series of articles later this year.
Diversity politics
The investigation is an initiative of the Circle of Editors-in-Chief of Higher Education Media. Chair Ries Agterberg (editor-in-chief of DUB, UU) explains: ‘Diversity is a much-discussed topic, both within higher education and elsewhere. To what extent is a diversity policy needed, and how far can you take diversity politics? Is higher education taking it too far, or not far enough? What does woke mean for academic freedom, and are the concerns voiced by the minister of justice justified? With this survey, we aim to find out how students and staff feel about this issue.’
Investigating policy
The survey is not the Circle’s only effort within this project. The magazines also investigate the policies within universities and university colleges. What are the boards’ priorities? The survey can help provide insight into the possible discrepancies between the institutes’ priorities and the ideas that students and staff have regarding diversity and inclusion.
The project is made possible by the Stimulus fund for Journalism, an organisation in support of research journalism in the Netherlands. The Circle received over 100,000 euros for this project. The survey was designed by Newcom Research Agency, based on discussions with the editors of all the participating magazines. All replies will be processed anonymously.
Want to join?
Click here for the student survey.
Click here for the employee survey.
