Diversity and inclusion

Education in Flanders is strongly rooted in pedagogical freedom and the free choice of school it guarantees. However, though Flanders scores relatively well in international rankings, education struggles with themes on diversity and inclusion. Pupils with vulnerable background characteristics and specific educational needs experience (much) more difficulties in Flemish education compared to other European education systems. It is therefore that these themes ‘diversity and inclusion’ form the heart of our vision. We distinguish two pillars with research on ethnic-cultural diversity on the one hand and research on inclusive education with a focus on specific educational needs on the other hand. 

We understand diversity as including. Dimensions such as culture, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and socioeconomic situation, or combinations thereof, can all be addressed. The researchers advocate opening the inclusion concept in Flanders from a focus on children with disabilities to a focus on all forms of bio-psycho-social diversity. We are looking for ways in which we can use a broad definition of diversity as a starting point for our research, without being blind to the structural obstacles and exclusion mechanisms experienced by each specific group.


Members

  • Imke Brummer: Ethnic diversity - Citizenship - Emotions - Secondary education - Mixed-methods
  • Liesbet Claeys: Inclusion - Interprofessional collaboration - Mainstream and special education
  • Noel Clycq: Diversity - (In)equality - Identity - Migration - Qualitative methodology
  • Blansefloer Coudenys: Community-based education - Ethnic-cultural minorities - Educational equity - Ethnic inequality - Participatory action research
  • Ayla De Schepper: Transition to the labor market - Social networks - Social inequality
  • Irene Landini
  • Ruud Lelieur: Academic optimism (trust - efficacy - academic emphasis) - Educational inequality - School effectiveness
  • Bea Mertens: Learning - Motivation - Instruction style - Adult education - Mixed method research
  • Saskia Vets: Classroom management - Positive class- and school climate
  • Marloes Vrolijk:  Diversity - Citizenship (education) - Qualitative methodologies

Spearhead(s)

  • Ayla De Schepper