The West University of Timișoara ran the UVT project - ACCESS AND EQUITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION between June and December 2021, financed from the Institutional Development Fund intended for state universities - CNFIS-FDI-2021.
The general objective of the project was to increase social equity, with a view to social inclusion and increasing access to higher education. The aim was to increase the access to higher education programs of vulnerable students, including those with disabilities, and to carry out support activities in order to prevent university dropout.
From the perspective of increasing the access of students with disabilities to higher education programs, the project laid the foundations for a service dedicated to this category of students. The employed experts, starting from the collection of the specific needs of students with disabilities, created a strategy and a work procedure aimed at long-term, medium-term and short-term measures that the University of the West will implement in order to adapt the educational process to the different needs of them. The space in the university's headquarters was also made accessible, both through specific work on the exterior and through the installation of tactile guidance carpets and Braille signage plates. Last but not least, workshops were held with teachers and administrative staff to train them to offer inclusive services.
From the perspective of specific actions to prevent university dropout within the project, a quantitative study was carried out, based on the questionnaire, regarding the identification of the relevant indicators of the risk of university dropout. The research tool was applied to UVT students, the database was created and needs analysis reports were produced. Based on the results of the study, the guidance and academic counseling services were adapted to the identified needs, within the CCOC UVT being included in support programs for students in the first year of studies identified at risk of dropping out.
Another direction pursued within the project was that of improving counseling and guidance services for students. From this perspective, CCOC employees from UVT participated in an extensive specialization training and a national conference was organized in which experts in academic and professional counseling and guidance from the main universities in the country shared best practices. At the conference, international brands were invited as key-note speakers.
The fourth main direction addressed within the project was that of facilitating high school students' access to university education. This goal was achieved by creating an online platform to support students in the process of preparing for the baccalaureate exam. Teaching staff from the West University of Timișoara have created support materials for each of the subjects that can be chosen for the exam, these being integrated within the platform. The platform will be launched with the start of the baccalaureate preparation program offered by UVT free of charge to students in recent years.
And the last direction targeted by the project's activities aimed at facilitating the integration of final year students into the labor market. From this perspective, a new mentoring program called "Mentoring Alumni UVT" was developed within the UVT. The employed experts developed a Mentoring Guide for final year students – UVT Alumni, UVT Alumni mentors and final year students were recruited, currently this program is in a pilot phase, and will be implemented at a general level in future university years within the institution.
The University of the West strives for an accessible, inclusive higher education adapted to the requirements of the contemporary labor market!
