Capacity Building Workshop: Championing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for International Student and Scholar Integration

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Event Description

This interactive workshop aims to support Finnish higher education institutions in their efforts to create safe, inclusive and welcoming spaces for international visitors. How can we champion diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to warmly welcome international students and scholars and facilitate an overall empowering cultural exchange?

The morning session aims to raise awareness about DEI - developing a shared understanding of DEI terminology and inspiring a more inclusive approach to cultural encounters and building community.

The afternoon session applies the morning learnings to build practices to attract and warmly welcome U.S. visitors to Finland. Several U.S. grantees in Finland will participate and share their intercultural experiences.

In addition, the program highlights how Fulbright Finland Foundation programs, services and partnerships can be utilized to expand U.S. exchange opportunities.

Goals of the Workshop

Tangible takeaways for institutions:

• Raise awareness and develop a shared understanding of DEI in the context of Finnish higher education internationalization;
• Inspire a more inclusive approach to cultural encounters and building community;
• Use Finnish - American exchanges as a case study to develop DEI practices; and 
• Co-create practical steps to forge a DEI pathway to showcase Finnish HEIs as attractive and inclusive destinations for U.S. students and scholars.

Program

Thursday, March 24, 2022
Hanken School of Economics, Arkadiankatu 22, 00100 Helsinki 

9:00 Registration and Morning Coffee

9:30 Welcome and Introduction to the Capacity Building Workshop
Terhi Mölsä, CEO, Fulbright Finland Foundation
Professor Kaj Storbacka, Dean of Executive Education and Corporate Relations, Hanken School of Economics

9:45 Introduction to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) and Interactive Activities
Jasmin Assulin, CEO & Co-Founder, deidei (see bio)
Kristopher Jackson, DEI and Business Consultant, deidei (see bio)

11:45 Lunch (included)

12:45 Fulbright Finland Internationalization Services for Higher Education Institutions and Partnership Opportunities
Mirka McIntire, Manager, Teacher Exchange and Education Programs, Fulbright Finland Foundation

13:00 Roundtable Discussions: Applying DEI to Attract U.S. Students and Scholars

Facilitators:
Megan Jones, 2021-22 Fulbright U.S. Student Program, University of Helsinki; Doctoral Candidate & Graduate Research Assistant, University of Rhode Island, USA
Jessica Stargardter, 2021-22 Fulbright U.S. Student Program, University of Helsinki

14:00 Coffee Break 

14:20 Roundtable Discussions: Applying DEI to Warmly Welcome U.S. Students and Scholars

Applying DEI to Attract & Warmly Welcome International Visitors Presentation

Facilitators:
Megan Jones, 2021-22 Fulbright U.S. Student Program, University of Helsinki; Doctoral Candidate & Graduate Research Assistant, University of Rhode Island, USA
Jessica Stargardter, 2021-22 Fulbright U.S. Student Program, University of Helsinki

15:20 Closing - Summary of Day and Key Takeaways
Megan Jones, 2021-22 Fulbright U.S. Student Program, University of Helsinki; Doctoral Candidate & Graduate Research Assistant, University of Rhode Island, USA

Key Takeaways, from Megan Jones

• When discussing diversity, equity, and inclusion we often find ourselves focusing on the negative experiences of people with marginalized identities, but there is a lot of joy in marginalized communities and we should remember to celebrate this joy as well. 
• Change takes time, but to paraphrase Maya Angelou, once we know better, we need to do better. 
• We have an obligation to share the information discussed in the workshop with others, especially with those we share privileged identities with. 
• We need to remember to be hard on systems, but soft on people. Again, change takes time and often starts with our own hearts and minds. 
• No one is mad at anyone for being who they are in relation to their identity. But those with privileged identities have an obligation to address issues of inequity, especially in the spaces they occupy. 

15:30 Event Ends

These activities support U.S. study abroad and are funded by the U.S. Government through a Study Abroad Engagement Grant from USA Study Abroad within the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State. The organizers would also like to thank Hanken School of Economics for hosting the event.