Universität Graz

Inclusion support for student mobility outside of the Erasmus+ programme

The aim of our project was to provide support for students with fewer opportunities, thereby creating equal opportunities in all mobility programs, similar to the Erasmus+ programme.

Various students enjoying a break from work while building a house of cards together.

Objectives

The objectives of this project naturally align with those of the Erasmus+ programme. At the forefront is the promotion of equal opportunities for all students, regardless of their background, physical or mental condition, or socio-economic status, but in this case, also specifically beyond the boundaries of the Erasmus+ programme! Furthermore, this support aims to raise awareness of the diversity within our society and to promote the acceptance of differences. We also wish to contribute to the creation of inclusive learning environments through our support. The mobility programmes of the Office of International Relations should be accessible to all students, regardless of individual limitations or backgrounds. It should always be a university's goal to provide resources to support students with diverse abilities. This includes inclusion as part of a welcoming culture that is lived at all levels. Additionally, the promotion of inclusion plays a crucial role in reducing mobility barriers for students with fewer opportunities and is indeed mentioned in the performance report established with the Ministry for the years 2025-2027. While every application for this initiative is welcome and will be supported to the best of our ability and judgement, we do not aim for a quantitative measurement of the success of this project and have not set a specific target in terms of 'head counts'. Each student supported through this initiative represents success in itself for us. Specifically, we anticipate that 1-5 students per year will take advantage of the initiative. Ideally, we hope that other Austrian universities will take our model as an example to implement similar support outside the Erasmus+ programme at their institutions.

Background

Within the framework of the Erasmus+ programme, there has been the possibility for students with fewer opportunities to apply for special grants for many years. With the start of the programme period in 2021, these special grants were specified and divided into Top-Ups and inclusion support. The University of Graz offers a variety of mobility programmes outside of Erasmus+. Over the years, there have been repeated inquiries from students as to why there were no corresponding funding opportunities in these programmes. In response, the AntiBias Circle of the University of Graz and the Office of International Relations decided in 2023 to offer this support for all existing mobility programmes of the office and to further develop the idea within a small project team consisting of representatives from the Office of International Relations, the Coordination Centre for Gender Studies and Equal Opportunities and the Centre for Integrated Studies. While the idea and a large part of the definitions could be directly adopted from the Erasmus+ programme, further aspects also needed to be clarified. With the full support of the Vice-Rector for Internationalisation and Gender Equality at the University of Graz, it was decided not to set a fixed budget for this project, but rather to continuously accept and process applications based on the experience gained from the Erasmus+ programme, and to reevaluate after a certain period whether the resources of the Office of International Relations are sufficient to meet the needs of the students or if additional funding opportunities need to be considered.

(Implemented) Activities

In spring 2024, several meetings of the aforementioned project team took place, aimed at the substantive implementation of the new inclusion support. At every stage of our journey, we encountered open ears and received the (financial) support we needed to implement this project, working collaboratively and across departments towards our goal. After the implementation of the project in regards to content was completed in spring 2024, the technical implementation began, with the aim of keeping the application process for the Top-Ups and inclusion support as accessible as possible, while avoiding the need for extensive documentation in advance. With the intensive support of the Centre for Integrated Studies, a corresponding database solution was implemented within the existing database of the Office of International Relations, Mobility Online. This database solution was designed to be as accessible as possible to ensure equal opportunities for all relevant student groups. With the start of the academic year 2024/2025, the technical implementation was also completed, and the promotion of the inclusion support on the usual platforms and channels of the University of Graz could begin.

Results

The most important outcome we aim for and have achieved is the promotion of equal opportunities within all of our offered mobility programmes, not just Erasmus+. Our students with fewer opportunities should be provided with the same possibilities as all other students. Intercultural competence, academic development, improvement of language skills, the establishment of an international network, personal growth, and the broadening of one’s horizons should not be reserved for certain groups of students. At the same time, we offer all students the chance to learn empathy and respect in their interactions with one another, alongside the aforementioned opportunities. We are now at the end of the first application phase for students and, as of the end of May, we have already received two applications that will soon be reviewed and assessed for funding eligibility. We hope to motivate other universities to define and implement similar projects, thereby contributing to an inclusive society in the long term.

Lessons learned

None of what we have implemented in this project was novel or unavailable in a similar form before. It also did not require any complicated problem-solving that needed to be developed. The goal was clear, and the path to achieving it was very straightforward. At every stage of our journey, we encountered open ears and received the support we needed to implement this project, working collaboratively and across departments towards our goal. The University of Graz, as an employer, has once again proven to be a place where people can contribute their creative ideas and wishes and, where possible, implement them. Interdepartmental collaboration is not only possible but also encouraged and is lived out in everyday practice. All of this has led to the uncomplicated achievement of our goals, the success of which we hope to see soon when our first students with fewer opportunities go abroad outside the Erasmus+ programme and share their experiences. The biggest stumbling block, as is often the case with inclusion, is certainly the long-term financial sustainability of the project. While the University of Graz is confident in its ability to implement this project over the coming years, all universities are dependent on successful budget negotiations in the years ahead. Overall, however, we are confident that we are on solid financial ground and can successfully carry this project into the future.

Internationalisation Award 2025

3. place in category Mobilitätsförderung für unterrepräsentierte Studierendengruppen

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