BIRMM (VUB) and UHasselt recruit 3 PhD researchers
ENGINE (Tackling the EthNic Gap IN Higher Education) is a consortium-based project funded by FWO under the funding scheme of SBO. ENGINE aims to address the societal issue of ethnic inequalities in higher education institutions (HEIs), commonly referred to as the 'ethnic gap''. The gap is characterized by the underrepresentation, lower academic achievements, reduced well-being, and diminished sense of belonging of among ethnic minority groups compared to their majority counterparts. Through rigorous scientific research, the project aims to develop a 'Close-the-Gap toolkit' to significantly reduce the ethnic gap and harness the potential of the diverse youth in Flanders (Belgium). The research and tools will be developped with various societal partners, particularly with (ethnic minority) students associations, who are co-initiators of this research project. We look for PhD candidates who are passionate about researching and addressing ethnic/racial inequality in higher education and to develop tools that promote equity. Throughout the four work packages, we will engage in genuine co-creation with ethnic minority students in all phases of the project with the aim of empowering, mutual learning and co-decision.
Below we give a brief description of ENGINE’S work packages (WPs) on which the PhD researchers will work (WP2 to 4). In WP1 (KULeuven) we will develop a large-scale longitudinal survey of students that aims to describe and explain the complexities and nuances of the ethnic gap and diversity climates in HEIs, and the relationship between them.
WP2. The Role of higher education institutions’ formal Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) policies in fostering an inclusive diversity climate and reducing the ethnic gap. WP2 seeks to evaluate whether and how institutional DEI policies foster an inclusive diversity climate and, in turn, reduce the ethnic gap. This WP also aims to unravel the contextual factors for successful implementation of evidence-based good-practice examples. The research will be realized by using several complementary methods: analysis of policy documents, interviews with policy makers and video interviews with initiators of good practice examples. Here you find more information on this PhD vacancy at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (BIRMM & BSoG).
WP3. The role of teacher professionalisation in fostering an inclusive diversity climate and reducing the ethnic gap. WP3 aims to describe and explain how teacher professionalisation contributes to fostering an inclusive diversity climate and reducing the ethnic gap. This will be realised by describing and explaining higher education teachers’ competencies to create inclusive learning environment. This WP will also evaluate two types of reflective teaching professionalization methods in the creation of inclusive on-campus diversity climate and its effectiveness in reducing the ethnic gap (video-based reflection). Here you find more information on this PhD vacancy at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (BIRMM & MILO).
WP4. The role of EMSOs (Ethnic Minority Student Organisations) in fostering an inclusive diversity climate and reducing the ethnic gap. WP4 seeks to describe and explain the contribution of EMSOs and the different types of activities they organise. This will be realised by describing and explaining how different types of EMSOs contribute to fostering on-campus inclusive diversity climates and reducing the ethnic gap. WP4 also explores the effectiveness of two types of activities (buddy projects and spaces of control) by means of the set-up of experiments. Here you find more information on this PhD vacancy at Universiteit Hasselt (R4D, School of Social Sciences).
We welcome applications from educational, political and social scientists interested in ethnic inequalities in higher education.
