At the University of Malta we pride ourselves of an office and committee which give utmost priority to equity, diversity and inclusion. Recently, the University welcomed its newest member to the team, filling up the role of the Equity Coordinator.
Meet Nadia Abdilla...
We've asked Nadia about the things she likes the most... As for food, Nadia's preferences shift towards the Middle Eastern and Indian cuisines, but admits that pizza is also a safe alternative on a rainy day! Nadia also has a flair for reading a good book and particularly enjoys anything relating to fictions about history or politics, as well as autobiographies. When asked which countries are on her bucket list, she quickly replied with Egypt, India, and Morocco.
Given her inkling for this role at UM, it was very evident that Nadia has some particular research interests. In fact she admits that gender issues, social policy, media representation are areas which interest her very much. She also added that feminism and feminist methodologies are at heart.
Inspiration to take up this job...
Our questions did not stop there! We were very invested in what made our new equity coordinator take up this role at UM. Here's what she had to say: "First and foremost, as a UM alumnus, heading the Equity Office at my own alma mater is a place where I feel I belong. The area of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is close to heart and the opportunity to work specifically in this area is what I consider to be, a perfect match." She continued with, "I am currently also reading for a Doctorate in the field of gender studies at UM, so this role is literally fusing theory and practice."
What to expect...
To conclude, our natural response was to ask her what the UM community could expect in the near future now that she is at the helm of this pivotal role. In response to this, Nadia expressed that, "At UM, we have a clearly set out, ambitious Gender+ Equity Plan which guides equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) actions for the coming years. Having a diverse University community is a plus, it offers a colourful mix of worldviews and fosters a wider, panoramic perspective of the society and world we are part of."
She admits that this does not come without its challenges and in fact is determined to adopt her philosophy of turning these challenges into opportunities... "Breaking barriers and creating a safe space where everyone can belong is what I genuinely believe is the key to success. To do this, and to foster a culture of belonging where students and staff can truly be themselves and thrive requires three core elements: effective communication on EDI matters, strong cooperation among UM stakeholders, and the common will to transform the UM community members’ everyday lived experience for the better."
Nadia ended her answer by referring to Paddington Bear's thoughts while looking onto the busy London streets... "Ms Brown says that in London everyone is different, and that means that anyone can fit in. I think she must be right because although I don’t look like anyone else, I really do feel at home.â€
On behalf of the whole of University, we would like to extend our warm welcome to the new Equity Coordinator and wish her the best of luck on this new role!
