Here you will find best-practice examples from the field of inclusion within the EMERGE Alliance.
They illustrate how universities promote participation and equal opportunities. Take a look at the examples and indicate in the survey which ones you find particularly compelling.
Community Educational Empowerment: Social Tutoring Program
Democritus University of Thrace, Greece
A structured collaboration between the Democritus University of Thrace and local municipalities providing free tutoring and mentoring to vulnerable primary and secondary students through trained university volunteers.
Impact: Reduces educational inequalities; strengthens academic resilience, self-regulation, and learner confidence; supports school transitions and exam preparation; fosters civic engagement and sustainable university–community collaboration.
Target Audience: Vulnerable primary and secondary students (including refugee and migrant learners); senior undergraduate and graduate students serving as trained volunteer tutors.
How to Replicate: Establish formal cooperation with municipalities; define eligibility criteria; appoint an academic coordinator; recruit and train volunteer tutors; deliver structured small-group tutoring (face-to-face or blended); monitor learning progress and psychosocial indicators; integrate into the university’s civic engagement strategy.
What Was the Benefit? Ensures equal access to quality support; offers experiential learning for student volunteers; strengthens social responsibility and pedagogical skills; delivers measurable, low-cost social impact.
What Has It Achieved? Operating since 2012; over 300 learners supported; improved academic outcomes and successful entry into higher education; recognised as a flagship inclusion initiative.
EMERGE Re-branding: Transferable and scalable across alliance regions. Indicative formats: EMERGE Community Learning Support Network or EMERGE Educational Inclusion Hub, aligned with EMERGE values of inclusion and resilience.
Contact Information:
Email: idosi@hs.duth.gr
Email: mmitsiaki@helit.duth.gr
Human Rights Observatory
Neapolis University Pafos, Cyprus
The Human Rights observatory provides a platform that links academic research and teaching with societal engagement on human rights. It operates as a bridge between the university and society, making scientific and academic discussions on issues of direct social relevance visible, accessible, and meaningful to wider audiences. The Observatory sits at the Research Institute at the Department Level Faculty and students conduct activities such as symposia and studies on social inclusion and human rights.
Impact: Promotes inclusion and human rights education and awareness in Cyprus
Target Audience: Academics, students, and wider society
How to replicate:
- Formal establishment within an existing Research Institute, Faculty, or Department with a relevant focus/field of study, such as Law School and Political Sciences.
- Appointment of an academic coordinator. It can also include a small academic advisory group.
- Engagement of undergraduate/postgraduate/alumni students through research assistance, events, and thematic working groups. Students conduct independent research, plan events (formal or informal), seminars, human rights art exhibition.
- Organisation of regular activities (public lectures, symposia, workshops, policy briefs, research, articles in newspapers to approach the public).
- Creation of a dedicated webpage to ensure visibility, dissemination, and public outreach.
What was the benefit?
The Observatory promotes open-access dissemination of knowledge, ensuring that research outputs and resources are freely available to the public. Its events and activities are designed to address issues that are directly relevant to society, fostering dialogue beyond academia. It strengthens interdisciplinary collaboration, promotes student participation in research-based activities, and enhances the university’s social impact and public profile in relation to fundamental rights.
What has it achieved?
- Six open-access thematic research studies, addressing core human rights issues of direct societal relevance
- Five public media interventions and opinion articles published in national and specialised outlets, contributing to public debate.
- Three public events and awareness actions with strong societal engagement.
- Systematic student engagement, with undergraduate and postgraduate students actively involved in research production, public events, and dissemination activities.
EMERGE re-branding: Possible to some extent by building on the Observatory’s existing work.
- Comparative case studies between EMEGE partners, particularly through cross-institutional comparison of national legal and policy frameworks.
- English-language dissemination materials, including summaries and selected outputs, acknowledging that not all existing publications have been translated to date.
- Development of case studies and research publications that address issues directly relevant to EMERGE priorities, including sustainability, resilience, and the protection of marginalised communities.
Contact information:
Eleni Gavriil, Director of Human Rights Observatory
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General framework of Special Study Arrangements
Université Bretagne Sud, France
The Special Study Arrangements aims to promote the success of all students, regardless of the obstacles they face, by offering appropriate educational and administrative adjustments.
Impact:
For the student helper:
- Official recognition of an invisible role.
- Reduced risk of dropouts due to possible adjustments (timetable, attendance, assessment methods).
- Improved mental health and well-being: feeling understood, supported and less isolated.
- Better balance between studies, personal life and caregiving role.
- Enhancement of transferable skills (organisation, responsibility, empathy), which can potentially be used in training or professional integration.
Impacts for the university:
- Strengthening of equal opportunities and inclusion in student pathways.
- Preventing dropouts and academic failure, with targeted support.
- Improved understanding of student populations and their social realities.
- Consistency with the university's social responsibility and health prevention policies.
- Promotes an attentive, innovative and committed institution, particularly on issues of solidarity and public health.
Societal impacts:
- Social recognition of the role of carers, from an early age.
- Contribution to a culture of care and solidarity, in line with the challenges of health and ageing in the population.
- Stronger links between education and social services.
Target Audience: Students with disabilities or debilitating illnesses; students who are in employment (minimum of 10 hours/week on average), student entrepreneurs; students with special responsibilities in university or student life; students with family responsibilities; students enrolled in multiple programmes; students engaged as civic service volunteers; high-level artists and athletes; students subject to measures depriving them of their liberty; pregnant women; students engaged in one of the activities mentioned in Article L611-11 of the Education Code; students who are family carers.
How to replicate:
- Identify the need through several complementary channels: The university's social services; the academic services; self-declaration by the student, encouraged by clear communication about the existence of the scheme.
- The social services department assesses the individual situation by offering an interview with the student to analyse: The nature of the assistance to be provided; the time commitment required; the impact on the student's academic career.
- Recognising the status of student assistants: Once identified, students may be referred to official recognition of their status under the RSE, in accordance with the study regulations.
- Implementing adjustments: Educational and administrative accommodations are defined in conjunction with the social services department, the student and the educational programme, in accordance with the regulatory framework and based on the student's specific needs.
- Ensuring coordination between stakeholders: Close collaboration between departments (academic, student life, university health, social services) ensures appropriate follow-up and a consistent response to the situations encountered.
- 6. Ensure follow-up: Regular reassessment of the situation and continuous coordination between the parties involved.
What was the benefit?
- Institutional recognition of an invisible but fundamental commitment.
- A strengthened sense of legitimacy for student helpers.
- Use of an existing regulatory framework, facilitating implementation.
- Improved academic perseverance and success.
- Development of a more inclusive and caring university culture.
- Better coordination between prevention, social support and student success.
- Recognition of student commitment as a "family carer" through Outreach Activities entitling them to an academic bonus of 0.1 to 0.5 points.
What has it achieved?
- Students are more inclined to come forward and ask for help.
- Better anticipation of risk situations (absenteeism, dropping out).
- Better acceptance of accommodation because they are part of a recognised framework.
- Direct contribution to the UBS's overall student quality of life policy.
EMERGE re-branding:
Yes, provided it is based on existing mechanisms and does not replace them.
- A name + a visual identity (logo, colours, slogan) "EMERGE Care & Study".
- Highlighting testimonials from students who: provide support or benefit from support.
- Emphasis on invisible vulnerabilities (caregiving, health, family responsibilities).
- and/or EMERGE FlexiSuccess: image symbolising flexible success
- Rollout of an EMERGE FlexiSuccess charter.
- Promotion of CSR as a lever for success for all.
- Integration into institutional communications.
Kontaktinformation: Contact Vannes
Contact Lorient
Institutional page – Special Study Programmes
E-learning Course: Universal Design for Digital Accessibility
University of Inland Norway, Norway
This comprehensive e-learning course equips educators with practical skills to meet legal requirements for the Universal Design of ICT solutions. The course provides ten practical steps focusing on accessible teaching material, covering essentials like contrast, clear language, correct use of headings, and video captioning. It helps institutions ensure equal access to higher education for all students, regardless of their functional ability.
Impact: Ensures that employees gain the necessary competence to universally design ICT solutions. The course provides concrete tools for creating your teaching material. In this way, the institution promotes equal access to higher education for all students, in accordance with legal requirements for higher education institutions in Europe (WAD).
Target Audience: Employees at universities and university colleges.
How to replicate: Translate the course.
What was the benefit?
- We ensure high and standardized quality in the teaching material.
- We strengthen the compliance the legal requirements have and the institution's inclusive practices.
- The course contributes to a culture of reflection and continuous competence development within inclusion and pedagogical use of ICT.
What has it achieved?
The course is a valuable, nationally recognized model that has already been adopted by universities and colleges across Norway. We received the prestigious Universal Award 2019 for this initiative, recognizing its commitment to inclusion and diversity.
Service-learning in correctional facilities
Univerzita Mateja Bela v Banskej Bystrici, Slovakia
Students from several faculties deliver educational and support activities for people serving prison sentences – legal awareness, digital skills, language education, psychoeducation, or environmental topics. The activity supports social inclusion of one of the most marginalized groups.
Impact: Support the social reintegration of incarcerated individuals through learning opportunities. Reduce social exclusion by strengthening personal skills, knowledge, and confidence. Build bridges between the university and community institutions (prisons, NGOs, courts, social services).
Target Audience: Teacher trainees, inmates in correctional centres.
How to replicate: Partner universities can consider initiating new partnerships with institutions working with specific marginalized target groups like, in this case, the convicts, or other, similar groups. They can try to prepare a simple educational offer for these target groups.
What was the benefit?
The main objective is to increase the digital literacy of inmates in correctional centres, respond to their educational needs, help them gain confidence in working with computers, mutual assistance, and cooperation between inmates. By acquiring these skills inmates can create applications and resumes. Students (teacher trainees) learn to assess the inmates learning results and adapt the difficulty level of activities accordingly. For students this work increases their communication skills and ability to work with diverse groups of people (young people, women, men), adopt individual approaches, overcome prejudices, and gain greater social awareness. They also learn patience and gain courage to work in such specific facilities.
What has it achieved?
This training has been provided for 3 years. In 2024/2025, students attended twice a week in the autumn and once a week in the spring semester. During this period inmates strengthened their IT and communication skills.
Shared Space Programme: autonomy and employability for people with intellectual disabilities
Universidade da Coruña, Spanien
The Shared Space Programme is a pioneering programme for young people with cognitive disabilities who, due to structural educational barriers, cannot access mainstream university routes. The Shared Space Programme is fully integrated into university life. It involves a wide range of services and encourages the active engagement of students, academic staff and administrative staff, ensuring that participants become part of the campus community in a real and visible way.
Impact: The initiative reflects a strong commitment to social responsibility and educational justice, expanding the university space to groups historically excluded and supporting students in building a positive self-image and an autonomous life project.
Target Audience: People with intellectual disability and/or autism spectrum disorder between 18 and 30 years of age with a degree of disability equal to or greater than 33%.
How to replicate:
- Set up an interdisciplinary team of professionals specialised in inclusive education and collaborating teachers at your institution.
- Develop the programme towards the needs of the target group in your local environment.
- Set up collaboration with local actors, companies and other potential employers.
What was the benefit?
The main objective of this training is to promote social and personal skills, providing basic skills for employability and promoting the university and socio-occupational inclusion of people with intellectual disorder and/or autism spectrum disorder. The training is structured in a way that starts with an initial level before moving on to an advanced level. The initial level is oriented to personal and social development, with an approach to the work environment. It includes theoretical training, specialized workshops and internships in UDC services. The advanced level focuses on skills and competencies specific to the work environment. It includes two specialization blocks: Store and Warehouse Assistant, and Administration and Services Assistant. Internships are carried out in ordinary companies.
What has it achieved?
Through carefully designed training in personal, social and pre-employment skills, the programme strengthens autonomy and opens meaningful opportunities for participation.
EQUALITY TUESDAYS
Université Rennes 2, France
Equality Tuesdays are a monthly seminar series hosted by the Equality Mission and the Cultural Office. They were first launched in 2016 and continue to be an important part of the university’s efforts to promote equality and fight discrimination.
Impact: These events provide a space for reflection, debate, and awareness-raising on various issues linked to equality, such as gender equality, discrimination based on sexuality, racism, social inequality, disability, and other forms of social injustice.
Target Audience: All members of the university community: students, professors, staff
How to replicate:
Define the equality issues you want to highlight, anchor the series within an equality office and a cultural or student-life department, schedule a predictable monthly session, and build a varied programme mixing talks, workshops, testimonies, and collaborations with students, staff, and external partners; then communicate consistently with a recognisable visual identity, involve the community through calls for proposals, and adjust the programme based on feedback so the series becomes a long-term, visible commitment to inclusion and anti-discrimination.
What was the benefit?
Over the past ten years, the value of Equality Tuesdays has become unmistakable, every month the hall fills with around 300 participants, a sign that the community sees the series as a meaningful space for learning, dialogue, and collective awareness. Its strength lies in the diversity of topics addressed—each session tackles a different dimension of equality or discrimination— allowing the programme to stay relevant, responsive, and intellectually stimulating. This regularity builds trust and visibility, while the variety keeps the audience engaged.
What has it achieved?
The long-term success of the initiative demonstrates its ability not only to raise awareness but also to create a shared culture of inclusion across the university, making it a flagship event that shapes attitudes, strengthens community bonds, and supports institutional commitments to equality.
EMERGE re-branding: The rebrand here means shifting from “our local initiatives” to “reproducible, modular, and measurable European formats. Possible other names:
- EMERGE Voices
- EMERGE Equality Talks
- EMERGE Open Forum
- EMERGE Inclusion Series
- EMERGE Dialogue Days
Key to success: produce “EMERGE kits”. Each action should include:
- PDF guide
- Communication templates
- Standard budget
- Impact indicators
- Implementation checklist
- Feedback and lessons learned
- “Low-cost” version
Contact Information: Visit our website
Equality Self Assessments
University of Limerick, Ireland
EDI assessment process (Athena Swan) is a systematic way to develop equality & inclusion action plans, monitor their progress and submit for peer evaluation on progress. The cycle runs at dept & institution level over a 5-year cycle and supports intersectional equality efforts. A self-assessment team is established with diverse representation to review the available data to identify EDI actions that would be implemented to improve the institution or dept for the benefit of its staff and students. The resulting actions are progressed and assessed against defined success measures which can include quantitative or qualitative indicators.
Impact: In addition to supporting the development of Horizon Europe Equality enhancement plans, it has ensured that key equality indicators are tracked and addressed. It also ensures that equality issues are elevated to the appropriate level within the institution so they can be addressed and tracked against institutional action plans for gender and race equality.
Target Audience: Equality, Diversity, Inclusion EDI practitioners or stakeholders interested in having a systematic method to develop, progress and monitor equality action plans.
How to replicate: Yellow window has developed an assessment tool that could be used to create a snapshot for each institution and indicators of the areas in need of consideration & next steps to aim for.
What was the benefit?
A structured approach to equality assessment ensures that the workload associated with progressing equality can be valued, rewarded and incorporated into career progression opportunities.
What has it achieved?
10 years of involvement has resulted in capacity building to assess, address and report on equality issues and resulted in the development and valorisation of equality work within the institution.
EMERGE re-branding:
The existing EDI assessment process may not be practical for Emerge branding within the timeframe. The yellow window assessment tool could provide a method to benchmark each institution across 12 impact drivers within the piloting phase outlined in the project. The specific branding conditions may need to be discussed with yellow window to ensure appropriate referencing but the benchmarking activity may be possible.
Contact information: Email: edi@ul.ie Athena Swan @ UL
University of Limerick