The Department of Arts, Open Communities, and Adult Education at the Faculty of Education of the University of Malta is partner in the project SMILE, Social Meaning Impact through Lifelong Learning Universities in Europe. is an Erasmus+ KA3 Social inclusion and Common Values project funded by the European Commission and aims to promote inclusive learning by developing, testing and implementing innovative tools that improve the way higher education institutions (HEIs) deal with diversity and social inclusion. The project is focused on three main areas of inequality and disadvantage in higher education: learners with migrant backgrounds, learners with low socio-economic status and women in leadership.
In Freshers’ Week October 2022, the Department of Arts, Open Communities, and Adult Education hosted the SMILE CPD ‘Building Multicultural Competence at the University: Critical Reflections and Action’. The workshop took place over two days and was led by Prof. Carmel Borg and Dr Rachel Baldacchino from the Faculty of Education. It brought together a group of administrative staff, academic staff and community stakeholders to engage with personal and societal norms in relation to diversity and inclusion, with the view that greater awareness and a formed consciousness help participants strengthen their multicultural competences.
Photo: Dr Rachel Baldacchino
The CPD is one of the SMILE project’s main areas of output. It is part of a series of three training courses addressed at university staff and developed and tested in close collaboration with role models, NGOs and community groups. Each training course aims to give voice to the extensive experience of professionals, volunteers, parents and current and potential learners.
In addition to developing CPDs in the three main identified areas of inequality in higher education, the SMILE team in collaboration with the University of Malta is also working on the Diversity Audit Tool intended to support universities in self-reflecting and assessing their commitment to diversity and social inclusion. The tool aims to help HEIs think about how they can improve their cultural, curricular and pedagogical performance to provide better access for learners with migrant backgrounds, learners with low socio-economic status and improve the presence of women in administrative roles.
The Diversity Audit Tool’s approach is rooted in stimulating concentrated discussion around equity and how it can manifest itself better in all aspects of institutional life. Its ultimate aim is to inspire HEIs to think inwardly and act outwardly working with multiple communities to address grave imbalances in wealth, power, and representation. The tool is being tested and improved through a peer audit process which involves a total of 20 universities and was tested over two days at the University of Malta in May 2022.
The coming months of the SMILE project will see work on a policy operational action plan based on the perspectives and experiences collected throughout all phases of the project SMILE which will serve as a guide for universities in fulfilling their commitment to diversity and social inclusion. The resources accumulated throughout all phases of the project and across the three main pillars of concerns will be accumulated in a centralised Research Space to facilitate use.
