Towards More Equal and Inclusive International Mobility

When staff mobility is linked with equality, diversity, and leadership development, a new way of learning emerges. The EDI + Mobility pilot opens up an approach to international mobility that is both meaningful and beneficial to the wider academic community.

The pilot is part of the PIONEER alliance’s work under the theme of transformative  leadership, which aims to renew leadership practices in higher education. In this context, mobility is not seen merely as a physical visit to another country, but as a learning process that supports inclusion, equity and the development of the entire higher education community.

Part of broader objective: transformative leadership

In the pilot, equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and staff mobility are intertwined as part of the transformative theme: how we lead ourselves, others and our communities in a diverse and international operating environment.

“Transformative leadership means the ability to critically reflect on one’s own thinking and actions – and to learn together. In this pilot, mobility serves as a concrete tool for developing EDI competence and leadership,” explains Taru Maamies, leader of the PIONEER Transformative Leadership Work Package (WP3).

The development of the pilot began in April during an international live week hosted by Laurea. During the week, participants from different PIONEER universities jointly defined the content of the online course, shared responsibilities, and agreed on the schedule for the next phases of the work.

Components of impactful mobilities

Led by Laurea, the EDI + Mobilty pilot consists of three interconnected and mutually reinforcing components:

1. An online course that is to be completed prior to the mobility period. The course lays the foundation for the mobility experience and addresses topics such as EDI thinking, intercultural competence, inclusion, and psychological safety.
2. Mobility ambassadors sharing experiences and learning within their networks. Participants who complete the EDI + Mobility course and the mobility period can act as mobility ambassadors, sharing their insights and experiences within their own organisations and across the PIONEER network.
3. EDI experts connecting through a shared network. The pilot also aims to set up an EDI Network, bringing together EDI experts and those interested in the theme from PIONEER universities to collaborate and co-develop practices.

Towards a more inclusive higher education community

The EDI + Mobility pilot demonstrates how international collaboration can support both individual professional development and broader cultural change in higher education. The model developed within the PIONEER project offers concrete tools for building a more equal and inclusive higher education community.

“We wanted to create a pilot where mobility does not remain a one-off experience, but instead generates learning that continues and spreads throughout the entire organisation,” says Sini Aalto‑Friman from Laurea, leader of the EDI + Mobility pilot development work.

Interested? For more information, please contact pilot leaders Sini Aalto‑Friman and Miika Mäki‑Torkko. Experiences and results from the pilot will be shared at Laurea and across the PIONEER network as the pilot progresses.

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