Inclusion in Higher Education Internationalisation - Insights from Inclusion ACAdemy and Pathways to Practical Development

Leena Mattila from the University of Jyväskylä and Tiina Piipponen from Metropolia University of Applied Sciences participated in the training from different perspectives. Mattila was motivated by a desire to improve support structures for international students, while Piipponen focused on involving the majority student population in international activities.

– Inclusion is a core value for me. I wanted to understand how international activities can truly be accessible to all students, says Piipponen. Mattila, in her new role involving international affairs, discovered that support and guidance structures do not always reach everyone:
– I wanted to learn more and find models for how we could support international students in a more systematic way.

Lessons from the training - something to share and develop

Both participants highlighted the value of the diverse materials and new perspectives, while also noting some challenges.
– Collaboration with international colleagues was eye-opening, but the sessions sometimes remained superficial due to different starting points and constantly changing discussion groups, reflects Mattila. She adds that having opportunities to exchange experiences with Finnish colleagues during the training would have supported deeper learning: 
– Joint discussions would have helped us reflect on how we can apply the materials in our own context.

At first, it felt like no one had the answers. In the end, I realised that is exactly why we need cooperation, dialogue, and co-development.

Piipponen took also part in an Erasmus+ project focused on developing inclusion and felt that the two initiatives complemented each other and are now inseparable. According to Piipponen, the training helped build a more holistic view. 
– At first, it felt like no one had the answers. In the end, I realised that is exactly why we need cooperation, dialogue, and co-development.

Changes in the everyday life of higher education institutions

The Inclusion ACAdemy has helped accelerate concrete development efforts. At Metropolia, work has begun to enhance inclusion in access to internationalisation opportunities, and the process is moving forward step by step. The measures relate to reducing barriers to mobility, promoting internationalisation at home, and strengthening the international dimension of curricula.
– As part of our curriculum development, we want to ensure that every student has the opportunity to participate in international learning experiences during their studies – at least through internationalisation at home, but also by improving the conditions for taking part in mobility periods, Piipponen explains.

At the University of Jyväskylä, the training has sparked new forms of collaboration between different actors.
– I reached out, for example, to our university chaplain to explore how we could better support international students from religious minorities and to understand how they approach students from various religious communities. This is something I might not have thought of without the insights gained during the training, Mattila says.

Network collaboration supports inclusion development

Inclusive internationalisation requires long-term development. For this reason, the Finnish National Agency for Education’s unit for international higher education cooperation launched the Inclusion in Higher Education Internationalisation network. The network serves as a forum for discussion and knowledge exchange. The atmosphere at the first meeting was enthusiastic and open.
– The network plays an important role as a bridge-builder – it brings together different perspectives and offers space for joint development, says Piipponen.

I hope that together we can create structures that strengthen inclusion in different higher education contexts

According to Mattila joint principles can be developed through the network.
– I hope that together we can create structures that strengthen inclusion in different higher education contexts,” says Mattila. – It’s about building a sense of peer support and sharing practical tips with colleagues doing similar work at other institutions.
 

Aiming for change in everyday practice

Promoting inclusion and participation challenges established ways of working and requires the ability to see things from many different perspectives simultaneously. Collaboration across multiple actors – both within institutions and with external stakeholders – is crucial.
– Students don’t always want to ask for help. They don’t want to be labelled. This requires sensitivity from us as higher education institutions, and new ways of engaging with students, says Mattila.

Inclusion is not a separate part of internationalisation – it is an integral part of how we build a higher education community where all students feel they belong.

Inclusive internationalisation doesn’t happen overnight, but the initial steps taken through Inclusion ACAdemy and the national network are laying the foundation for lasting change.  
– Inclusion is not a separate part of internationalisation – it is an integral part of how we build a higher education community where all students feel they belong, Piipponen summarises.
 

What is Inclusion ACAdemy?

Inclusion ACAdemy is a European training initiative designed to support higher education institutions in developing more inclusive and accessible approaches to internationalisation. The programme was implemented by the Academic Cooperation Association (ACA), the Belgian expert organisation SIHO (Support Centre for Inclusive Higher Education), and the SALTO Resource Centre for Inclusion and Diversity within the Erasmus+ programme.

In the first round of training, six countries participated. From Finland, 18 higher education institutions and the Finnish National Agency for Education took part, the latter acting as the Erasmus+ national agency. The programme focused on identifying participation barriers, strengthening opportunities, and developing inclusive structures within higher education institutions.

The training was funded through Erasmus+ Transnational Cooperation Activity (TCA) grants awarded by the participating Erasmus+ national agencies.