NEOLAiA

Development of the database under the direction of Bielefeld University

The Diversity and Inclusion Work Package (lead: Professor Michaela Vogt, coordination: Dr Amelie Labusch from Bielefeld University) has published the first version of the NEOBest database. NEOBest provides practical examples from all nine NEOLAiA universities that demonstrate how barriers can be overcome - regardless of whether they are physical, digital, structural or social in nature. Initially, a total of 45 examples are included, five best practices per university.

The collected examples come from different areas of all nine universities and display innovative approaches - from individual programmes and training courses to student initiatives and institutionalised offers, such as permanently established contact points at the NEOLAiA partner universities. The best practices are also aimed at different target groups - sometimes they are for students, sometimes explicitly for women, but often for all university members and also for the regions. 

Bielefeld's examples of promoting diversity and inclusion are listed in NEOBest:

• Café Anaconda
• Visibility training for female academics
• the diversity-orientated onboarding
• the autonomous department for students with disabilities and other strengths (RSB)
• the central accessibility services (ZAB)

This database complements the D&I NEO Charter signed within the Alliance and is another strong signal from NEOLAiA in favour of making diversity and inclusion even more visible throughout the Alliance and expanding them in the long term. NEOBest also symbolises how the partners within NEOLAiA can learn from each other. 

The creation of the D&I NEOBest database took place in several phases and continues: last year, Michaela Vogt and Amelie Labusch travelled to all Alliance locations, learned about various examples of promoting diversity and inclusion and discussed them with colleagues and experts on site. The best practices were documented in detail and categorised with keywords to facilitate the exchange and learning from each other. The initial version of the NEOBest database is now growing continuously: every year, all NEOLAiA universities collect new examples and add them to the digital database.