DIVERSITY
The term diversity is used to describe differences and similarities between individuals and groups. These features can be categorized on individual, institutional or structural levels. Diversity affects all people, not just certain groups.
The Diversity Wheel above is specifically adjusted to the institutional higher education context and depicts the four levels diversity characteristics can be divided into:
- The inner dimension relates to categories such as age, gender, social background, etc.
- The external dimension includes residence, education, religion, outer appearance etc.
- The organizational dimension shows factors such as field of study, course contents, study duration etc.
- The fourth dimension, sustainability, was specifically developed in the pre-auditing-process of the University of Klagenfurt. It refers not only to the environmental factor, but also considers the long-term effects of implemented measures.
INTERSECTIONALITY
These diversity dimensions and categories should not be considered in isolation. The concept of intersectionality is concerned with identifying social categories, their interweaving or intersections. The aim is not only to consider several social categories, but also to analyse their interactions with each other.
INTERVIEW WITH ANDREA BÜHRMANN
