VILNIUS TECH is not only a center of science and knowledge but also an environment where respect, diversity, and equal opportunities for all members of the university community are nurtured daily. To ensure that every student, lecturer, and administrative employee can realize themselves through feeling valued and empowered, the role of the Equal Opportunities Officer is becoming increasingly important.
We spoke with VILNIUS TECH Equal Opportunities Officer Dr. Raimonda Bubliene about the efforts to create an inclusive, gender-stereotype-free study and work environment.
Ensuring equal opportunities covers various areas, as individuals in everyday activities face barriers that prevent them from fully realizing their potential.
"While performing the duties of an Equal Opportunities Officer, I constantly work on ensuring equal opportunities at the university, conduct research on discrimination, consult staff, and carry out educational as well as preventive activities," says Dr. R. Bubliene.
Speaking about the added value that the Equal Opportunities Officer brings to the university, Dr. Bubliene highlights that the importance of ensuring equal opportunities in education comes from the attention paid by state institutions and the recommendations they prepare. Recently, the Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson of the Republic of Lithuania prepared and distributed a guide for the country’s higher education institutions titled "How to integrate gender equality principles into teaching?" The guide provides the academic community with clear and applicable recommendations for creating an inclusive, gender-stereotype-free study environment.
The attention given to ensuring equal opportunities in education also underscores the importance of developing an inclusive society. Moreover, equality, gender parity, and inclusion are significant to the activities of the ATHENA (Advanced Technology Higher Education Network Alliance), of which VILNIUS TECH is a member. Equally important is the role of inclusion and equal opportunity assurance in the project funded by Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google, which is implemented by VILNIUS TECH.
"Ongoing challenges in the field of equal opportunities, as in others, motivate me to keep growing. I believe that my doctoral dissertation, defended in the field of law on anti-discrimination law, also contributes to the work I do in this area. While I am interested in all aspects of ensuring equal opportunities, I would highlight educational and preventive activities as the most engaging. I also serve as a lecturer at VILNIUS TECH, and I believe that through education and prevention, we can stop equal opportunity violations. In fact, I would consider education and prevention as the areas that bring the most benefit to the university community," Dr. R. Bubliene emphasizes.
To date, three complaints regarding equal opportunity violations have been reviewed at VILNIUS TECH. These were consolidated into a single case, while other situations and inquiries have been resolved through preventive measures. This only proves that members of the VILNIUS TECH community recognize the importance of equal opportunities and are making every effort to ensure them.
You can find the help box here: https://vilniustech.lt/universitetas/lygios-galimybes/99402
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