Engagement
Committed students with both feet in the middle of society, that is what Arteveldehogeschool is all about. Our students' field of action is as broad as our range of courses.
The projects our students work on produce excellent win-win situations: students gain experience in a professional role and society benefits. For partners, student input often provides a fresh perspective on their practice. Service learning, as it is called in the books.
Do you work at an organisation that could usefully employ our driven students?
Sustainability
The interpretation of the concept of sustainability is coloured by advancing insight and pluralism. On the one hand, this diversity of interpretations provides a rich breeding ground for constructive debate, but can sometimes also be a recipe for misunderstandings. Consequently, we need to demarcate the concept somewhat and Arteveldehogeschool uses the description of the UN Commission Brundtland (1987) as a working definition:
Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
A hallmark of sustainable development is the strong intertwining of social, economic and environmental aspects. Acting sustainably means being able to answer positively to the following questions:
- Is it environmentally sound (planet)?
- Is it socially just (people)?
- Does it contribute to long-term economic prosperity? (prosperity)
- Are the consequences for future generations considered? (time)
- Are the consequences for all people on this earth considered? (space)
- Is the decision-making process democratically supported (participation)?
We start from the strong sustainability model in which prosperity and economy serve society (and not vice versa) and in which the survival of our society depends on the survival of our planet and its natural resources.
Within Artevelde UAS, we use the Sustainable Development Goals as a compass and this from the 'whole institute approach'. From its unique position as a knowledge institution, Arteveldehogeschool wants to contribute to a sustainable future by focusing on sustainability in education, research and services, internal operations and its partnerships. We want to play a pioneering role in this.
Sustainable development goals
What is sustainable development about? According to the United Nations, this revolves around the future scenario to be pursued of a world free of poverty, hunger and disease, in which everyone can live a fulfilling life.
As a knowledge institution, Artevelde UAS naturally considers it one of its most important tasks to contribute to this as much as possible and to take a pioneering role. We therefore not only focus on sustainability in our education, research and services, but also in our business operations and all the partnerships we enter into.
In doing so, we use the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs for short) as defined by the United Nations as our guiding compass towards the future.
All these development goals are interlinked: working on one goal also means reflecting on the achievement of the others.
Diversity
Artevelde UAS puts an inclusive diversity policy first.
We see diversity as all possible differences that may exist between people living together in our society, in terms of gender, skin colour, social background, sexual orientation, physical and mental capabilities, philosophy of life, ethnicity, etc.
A diversity policy guides processes of renewal and ways of dealing with difference, equality and equivalence. As a university of applied sciences, we attach great importance anyway to the creation of an inclusive working and learning climate, where all students and staff can be themselves, feel free to express their opinions, feel valued and respected, and where they can develop in a safe environment and are given equal opportunities.
Artevelde UAS wants to be an example and a source of inspiration for the broader society in terms of diversity. We distinguish ourselves as a dialogue college, where identity and diversity in the broadest sense are addressed from a Christian inspiration.
I have a brain injury left over from an accident, which makes it difficult for me to concentrate. I suffer from chronic headaches and migraines. Yet my studies are going better than expected, thanks to the support I receive.
Equal opportunities
Artevelde UAS resolutely opts for an inclusive policy. Via the 'Design for all' design approach, we strive for an accessible educational context and service.
In our pursuit of excellence, we want to offer equal opportunities to every talent, regardless of language, gender, disability, age, socio-economic status or ethnic-cultural background.
Removing thresholds
We combine that inclusive policy with a dynamic diversity approach: we want to remove the specific obstacles experienced by students and staff based on diversity characteristics.
Indeed, we realise that for some individuals or target groups, additional measures are needed to make true inclusiveness a reality, and want to continue to proactively address this.
To students and staff facing various potentially hindering factors in their development or career, we therefore offer the necessary support.
Report transgressive behaviour
Transgressive behaviour
Transgressive behaviour occurs when someone no longer feels safe or respected because personal boundaries are crossed. This can include, for example, (cyber) bullying, unwanted sexual advances or remarks, physical or verbal violence, discrimination, intimidation, threats, stalking, (emotional) blackmail, hateful or racist or sexist statements, etc.
Artevelde UAS doesn't condone this: our students and staff's dignity and physical integrity always come first.