When it came to diversity and inclusion in higher education and research, the focus used to be on gender. Not wrong, according to Vinod Subramaniam, chair of the Advisory Committee for Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education and Research. But a broader view of diversity is needed. “The path has been paved, but there is certainly still work to be done.”
Interview with Vinod Subramaniam
Vinod Subramaniam is chair of the Executive Board of the University of Twente. He is also chair of the Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education and Research (DIHOO). The independent committee was established in 2020 and advises the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and the education and research community to pay attention to diversity and inclusion.
What is the purpose of the Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education and Research (DIHOO)?
"In an inclusive, diverse and safe learning and working environment, everyone can develop. This leads to better quality of education and research. Diverse teams work from different angles and perspectives. This offers a broader view of what you teach or research. In 2020, at the request of Minister Van Engelshoven, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science conducted a preliminary study and drew up a National Action Plan. Part of that plan was to establish the advisory committee. We are a national committee that provides independent advice to the ministry and to the field on how we can be a diverse and inclusive higher education and research sector."
Why is a committee like this necessary?
"The Netherlands is a very diverse society where not everyone has equal opportunities. Becoming a more diverse, inclusive, and safer education and research sector is a long-term process. We have taken steps, but we are not there yet. An example: before I came to the University of Twente, I was Rector Magnificus of the Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam. There, research by Prof. Maurice Crul and his team showed that about 14% of students had a second-generation migration background. But among the staff, that proportion was only 1.4%. The difference is too big, and it takes time and attention to achieve equality."
How is the DIHOO advisory committee working on a more inclusive sector?
The DIHOO advisory committee has a advisory role. The National Action Plan set out five goals for the committee to consider. Some of those goals have now been achieved, while others have been refined. It is a dynamic field; times change and so does the context. One of the goals, for example, was to set up an award system for diversity. We have now come to the conclusion that rewards are valuable, but offer little real added value. We prefer to stay away from checklists and focus on cultural change instead."
Who do you work with?
"We are not alone; we have many partners who want to achieve the same goal. The universities and colleges themselves, of course, but also the umbrella organizations, the NWO, the KNAW, the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science, the National Network of Female Professors, ECHO expertise center for diversity, the national consultation of diversity officers, the postdoc network, and the PhD network. They have made a start on embedding diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunities nationally. The path has been paved, but there is certainly still work to be done."
Do you have an example of a recommendation you have recently issued?
"We advocate looking at diversity and inclusion from a broader perspective. When it came to diversity in higher education and research, the focus was long mainly on gender. There is nothing wrong with that, of course, but there are so many other forms of diversity. Disabilities, neurodiversity, socioeconomic class, informal care, religion, skin color, and so on. We recently published the recommendation Intertwined Threads. Its message is: don't limit yourself to one dimension. Pay attention to all differences. Everyone is valuable, inside and out. In intertwined strands, we indicate how important it is to view diversity and inclusion from an integrated perspective. For example: there is nothing wrong with separate programs to promote social safety, but you will get further if you immediately look at the inequality that underlies social insecurity. Then you tackle the problem at its root and make more impact."
What happens in practice with advice such as Intertwined Strands?
“Advice such as Intertwined Strands can be seen as a guideline for discussions. Between the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science and the field, and also between institutions and organizations themselves. Local contexts differ, so there is no one-size-fits-all approach to promoting diversity and inclusion. Organizations and institutions must therefore inspire each other to come up with their own approach. We also try to give more concrete and tangible advice. For example, we are working on advice on how to deal with GDPR issues surrounding monitoring. That is a more practical guide. And in 2021, we created a practical guide for drawing up a gender equality plan in research and education."
What do you hope the DIHOO advisory committee will ultimately achieve?
"The committee is only there for a limited time. When our work ends in September 2026, we will not be done. The importance of equal opportunities will not disappear. This must be followed up. Not necessarily by a committee, but by embedding it in institutions. They must be able to offer an inclusive and safe working and learning environment. This remains a complex issue for which there is no clear-cut solution, but we are constantly working on it and must continue to focus on it in the future. I hope that this focus will continue in the coming years. We are not yet a completely equal society."
Prof. dr. Vinod Subramaniam (chair) he/him