{"id":151063,"date":"2023-02-24T13:51:30","date_gmt":"2023-02-24T12:51:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=151063"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:26:40","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:26:40","slug":"diversity-inclusion-office-renamed-idea-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2023\/02\/24\/diversity-inclusion-office-renamed-idea-center\/","title":{"rendered":"Diversity & Inclusion Office renamed IDEA Center"},"content":{"rendered":"

The university\u2019s Diversity & Inclusion Office has been renamed the IDEA Center. The terms \u2018equity\u2019 and \u2018access\u2019 have been added to better reflect what the team stands for and does at the university.<\/p>

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For Chief Diversity Officer Semiha Denkta\u015f, the name change does not entail any major changes to the objectives. \u201cThe term \u2018IDEA\u2019 makes it more recognisable from an international perspective. In countries like the US, UK and New Zealand, the addition of \u2018equity\u2019 and \u2018access\u2019 is already much more common. For us, it does not mean a broadening of the programme, but rather a name that better reflects our purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n

Equal opportunities<\/h2>

In any case, the term \u2018equity\u2019 deserves some explanation, as it is difficult to translate into Dutch, Denkta\u015f says. The Dutch translation of \u2018equity\u2019 in the context of diversity and inclusion is rechtvaardigheid<\/em>. Unlike equality (gelijkheid<\/em>), equity is about a fair distribution of opportunities. \u201cThis means looking at what kind of support people need to ensure that they truly have equal opportunities\u201d, Denkta\u015f explains.<\/p>\n

She gives an example that the WHO often uses to explain the term. Three people get the opportunity to watch a sports game. \u201cThere are three people standing behind a high fence. The first person is so tall that he can see over the fence. The second person, if he jumps, can catch bits and pieces of the game. The third is so short that he can\u2019t see anything at all.\u201d The idea is to look at what is needed to be able to see over the fence: in this case, a box to stand on. The tallest person doesn\u2019t need a box, the next person only needs one box, and the shortest person needs two boxes to be able to watch the game. Giving all three a box is \u2018offering equal opportunities\u2019; giving each person what they need is equity.<\/p>\n

Access for everyone<\/h2>

\u201cA student\u2019s likelihood of success doesn\u2019t just depend on their pre-university diploma: that is a precondition that applies to everyone who wishes to study at a university, just like employees need to have prior work experience and certain previous education\u201d, Denkta\u015f says. \u201cThe kind of family you were born into also matters, and whether you feel at home and can develop optimally. Equity is about distributing resources \u2013 the number of boxes \u2013 according to people\u2019s needs to ensure an equal starting position. Providing access to our university for everyone, regardless of their physical abilities, available networks or origin, is equitable.\u201d This vision of equity and accessibility is part of the IDEA Center\u2019s outreach programme, for example. One of the aims of this programme is to familiarise under-represented groups in the student population with the university and science as early as primary and secondary school.<\/p>\n

As of 1 January, the IDEA Center is no longer a temporary programme, but a permanent part of the university organisation. The D&I Office opened in 2015 and has its own office in the Erasmus Building. In May, the IDEA Center will publish a book in which team members look back on their experiences and the knowledge they have gained over the past years.<\/p>\n\n\t

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