Exploring the inclusion of specific groups of students in higher education



Project type: CRP

Code: V5-24058

Beginning: 01.11.2024

End: 30.04.2026

Funding: Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency

Co-funding:

Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation

Collaborating organisations:

Faculty of Education, University of Ljubljana; Faculty of Education, University of Maribor; Faculty of Education, University of Primorska

Coordinator: Faculty of Social Work, University of Ljubljana

Leader: izr. prof. dr. Petra Videmšek

Associates:

Univerza v Ljubljani (fakulteta za socialno delo): izr. prof. dr. Petra Videmšek, izr. prof. dr. Liljana Rihter, izr. prof. dr. Nina Mešl, as. Mojca Suhovršnik

Univerza v Ljubljani (Pedagoška fakulteta): izr. prof. dr. Milena Košak Babuder, doc. dr. Mojca Poredoš

Univerza v Mariboru (Pedagoška fakulteta): izr. prof. dr. Tina Vršnik Perše, izr. prof. dr. Marta Licardo

Univerza na Primorskem (Pedagoška fakulteta): izr. prof. dr. Vanja Kiswarday, as. Maja Rejc

Other milestones:

Work package 1 (Analiza obstoječe dokumentacije): oktober 2024 - december 2024

Work package 2 (Raziskovalna stanja vključenosti): oktober 2024 - marec 2025

Work package 3 (National study from the perspective of the employees at higher education institutions): October 2025 - June 2025

Work package 4 (Focus groups with staff from particular faculty, specialising in work with students with special needs and special statuses): November 2024 - November 2025

Work package 5 (Focus groups with students with special needs and special statuses on particular university): June 2025 - September 2025

Work package 6 (Focus groups with representatives of psychosocial counselling offices): September 2025 - December 2025

Work package 7 (Proposals and recommendations for legislative changes, design of support systems that ensure inclusion, creating an outline of possible forms of assistance): September 2025 - March 2026

 

Keywords:

inclusion, accessibility, support, expertise, special needs, special statuses, students, higher education environment, ensuring equal opportunities

 

Summary:

Without the principles of inclusion, we cannot imagine a university of the future, and certainly not one that can produce sustainable knowledge, high-quality results and innovative achievements by activating its full potential. The project aims on the one hand to answer the question of the actual state of inclusion in higher education and on the other hand to identify suitable measures that would contribute to an even greater representation of disadvantaged groups in higher education.

We will use quantitative and qualitative methods to analyse the situation in the individual member countries of the three universities. We will be interested in what the current practise of inclusion of students with disabilities and special status in the study process looks like and what obstacles the individual members encounter on this path of inclusion.

The survey will identify groups of students with disabilities and special status who are underrepresented or in need of additional support. In particular, we will focus on the situation of students with psychosocial difficulties (the interventions and activities available to them and the barriers they face), i.e. students whose difficulties are often not visible to the outside observer, but whose visibility depends on the student's willingness to disclose them to unauthorised persons. The lack of visibility of these problems often leads to discrimination and exclusion of this group from the circle of beneficiaries.

As part of the project, we will be interested in two perspectives: the perspective of people who have the status of a student with disabilities and special status, and the perspective of employees on the topic of inclusion.

In addition to the national study, we will analyse international documents on the inclusion of students with disabilities and special status in higher education and examine the compatibility of Slovenian national regulation with international documents.

The aim of the project is to review the status of inclusion of students with disabilities and special status, to identify the needs of both students and staff for the inclusion of students with disabilities and special status and to make recommendations and proposals for a comprehensive regulation of the area of students with disabilities and special status.

Conferences:

Congress of Social Work, 21. 11. 2025 - 22. 11. 2025
Conference at the end of the project, April 2026

Other:

The project group regularily meets once per month:

16. 12. 2024

20. 1. 2025

24. 2. 2025 at 12.30

24. 3. 2025 at 12.30

14. 4. 2025 at 12.30 (the meeting is planned to be carried out in person)

26. 5. 2025 at 12.30

16. 6. 2025 at 12.30