Erasmus+ Inclusion Officers at AUTh

The Erasmus+ Programme places special emphasis on participation opportunities for all interested individuals, featuring a significant budget increase for the seven-year period 2021-2027. The priority of Inclusion and Diversity encompasses and is directly linked to the other priorities governing the Programme. It applies to all of its actions, aiming to create a digital Erasmus+ that is more environmentally sustainable and closer to the needs of society.

Definitions

By inclusion, we refer to the removal of barriers to increase the number of mobile participants with fewer opportunities. Barriers to participation in the Erasmus+ Programme may relate to disabilities or severe health issues, learning difficulties or school failure, as well as social, economic, cultural, and geographical barriers, alongside barriers related to discrimination. It should be noted that some individuals may face a combination of the above, which creates even greater challenges for their participation in the Programme.

By diversity, we refer to supporting the participation of individuals with diverse profiles in the Programme, responding to the need to provide equal opportunities to all. This includes differences such as residents of remote areas versus residents of large cities, LGBTQI+ versus heterosexual individuals, people with disabilities, people with learning difficulties, Roma, migrants, and refugees versus the general population, or women versus men in certain fields of study, etc. The objective is to ensure that all these individuals feel welcome to participate in the Erasmus+ Programme and can collaborate constructively in joint teams.

Target Groups of the Inclusion and Diversity Strategy

People with fewer opportunities

People with disabilities (e.g., physical disability, blindness, deafness, etc.)
People with health issues (e.g., chronic illnesses, including mental health conditions)
Barriers related to education systems (e.g., individuals facing learning difficulties, problems in their educational path, early school leavers, or those at risk of dropping out - NEETs)
Cultural differences (e.g., refugees, migrants, individuals belonging to national or religious minorities)
Social barriers (e.g., formerly incarcerated individuals, former substance abusers, socially marginalized individuals. Additionally: orphans, individuals from single-parent families, young parents, and first-generation university students)
Economic barriers (e.g., individuals with a very low family income, the unemployed, those belonging to over-indebted households, working students, or people experiencing homelessness or living in temporary shelters)
Barriers linked to discrimination (related to origin, religion, disability, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or a combination of these)
Geographical barriers (individuals living in geographically remote areas, very small islands, or peripheral areas with poor public transport connections to urban centers)

ERASMUS+ Inclusion and Diversity Officers

The Erasmus+ Programme provides a range of tools to enhance the participation of people with fewer opportunities, including the role of the Inclusion and Diversity Officer (Inclusion Officer).

The Inclusion Officer plays a crucial role in promoting Inclusion and Diversity within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Their primary responsibility is to promote inclusive practices, thereby ensuring that students, academic, and administrative staff from diverse backgrounds feel welcome, receive the necessary support, and are valued within the university community.

Key Responsibilities and Core Functions

The responsibilities of Inclusion Officers include developing and implementing policies that foster inclusion across various aspects of university life, including access to internationalization opportunities. Their work entails the following:

Policy Development and Institutional Strategy: They contribute to shaping the university's strategy, ensuring that inclusion is integrated into institutional policies, recruitment processes, student support services, and academic staff development.
Assessing Service Accessibility: They provide guidance and resources to students from diverse backgrounds, offering support to overcome challenges related to access, equity, and the sense of belonging. Although many university services support specific groups, they are not always easily accessible to international students or individuals from underserved groups. The Inclusion Officer collaborates with various departments to identify participation barriers and improve access to available resources.
Supporting Inclusive Internationalization: They work closely with the International Relations Office to communicate with incoming and outgoing students within the framework of the Erasmus+ Programme and other mobility and exchange programs.
Active Engagement of Academic and Administrative Staff: They collaborate with academic departments and administrative services to create inclusive learning and working environments. This is achieved by establishing a working group consisting of the Inclusion and Diversity Officer and executives from Student Welfare, Accessibility, Social, and Healthcare Services (e.g., the Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Committee of AUTH, the Committee for Equal Access for People with Disabilities and People with Special Educational Needs), members of committees monitoring the academic progress of students from vulnerable social groups, Erasmus+ Academic Coordinators, representatives of students with fewer opportunities, student members of the ESN network, etc.
Program Development: They implement initiatives that promote diversity, such as mentoring programs, awareness campaigns, and targeted interventions to improve accessibility.
Collaboration with the Higher Education Community: They interact with student organizations, external bodies, and academic networks to cultivate a culture of full inclusion and integration on campus.

The Senate of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), during its meeting No. 3186/3-6-2026, decided to appoint the following individuals as Inclusion and Diversity Officers for the Erasmus+ Programme at AUTH:

Alexandros Triantafyllidis, Professor at the School of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, AUTH; President of the Departmental Committee of European Educational Programmes; and President of the Gender and Equality Committee of the Faculty of Sciences.
Kyriaki Kourouni, member of the Special Educational Staff (EEP) at the School of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Philosophy, AUTH; member of the Departmental Committee of European Educational Programmes; and member of the Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Committee of AUTH.

Contact Information: erasmusinclusion@auth.gr

Updates on relevant actions and initiatives will follow soon.