Celebrating our community during Diversity Week 2022

October 4, 2022

This year’s theme of the annual diversity week at TU/e is ‘The paradox of Diversity’.

Opening Diversity Week 2022 by Robert Jan Smits, President Executive Board, and Tudor Popescu, student assistant Diversity & Inclusion. Photo: Diversity & Inclusion Office

The TU/e is working towards creating an inclusive and learning environment to ensure true inclusivity and a sense of belonging for all the members of our community. This is the third year that the diversity office organizes the Diversity Week to make everyone aware of both the benefits of a diverse community and the risks for minority groups of being inadvertently excluded or socially unsafe. The week offers a number of gatherings, focusing on social safety, diversity and inclusivity for everyone at TU/e. This year’s theme is ‘The Paradox of Diversity’.

Photos Diversity Week 2022

(Update October 17, 2022) A small visual impression of events of the past Diversity Weeek, such as the opening breakfast and the roller disco. Photos: Maxime van Strijp

“Diversity is a fundamental value of the TU/e. It allows people of different origin, background and belief to come together, to study and work together, which is a proven catalyst for innovation and creativity. That is why diversity is firmly embedded in Strategy 2030, the strategic plan of the TU/e,” says the Executive Board of the University.

“The goal of our Diversity Week 2022 is to really include everyone at our university”, says Lara Hofstra, Student Diversity Officer. “To not only listen to what our minority groups have to say on the topics of diversity, inclusion, social safety and mental health, but to actively participate in making TU/e a safe place to work and learn for all. We really need to ask ourselves the question: Why does diversity apply to everyone? How can a diverse team create space for more understanding towards each other?”

The goal of our Diversity Week is to really include everyone at our university

Lara Hofstra

Paradox of diversity

The question Hofstra is getting at, is what is also known as the paradox of diversity: While the benefits of diversity are evident, the group processes required to realize the full potential of diversity, are not. It takes awareness and commitment of everyone involved.

Hofstra: “It is becoming more and more important for everyone to truly feel part of the discussion and feel welcome in our community to speak freely about these topics. For the past few years, the students in the association boards and committees have been very involved in diversity, inclusion and overall community building,” clarifies Hofstra. “The students are also very keen to engage more with the teaching and support staff on these topics and hope to come together as one community during the events offered during the Diversity Week!”

We are proud of each and every one in our community, and we are proud to have such great diversity

TU/e Executive Board

“Diversity also is a core value of the TU/e because we strongly believe that everyone has the right to participate and be part of our community, no matter their nationality, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and more. TU/e is home to students and researchers from a wide range of backgrounds, including over 100 nationalities. We are proud of each and every one in our community, and we are proud to have such great diversity,” reads the TU/e board statement. “We hope the Diversity Week events will draw a large number of people from the TU/e community, to exchange ideas and raise awareness on the power of diversity.”

Everyone who works and studies at the TU/e is cordially invited to participate in the events this week. And, as with all such topics, the work does not end when the week is over, but requires a lasting effort from the entire TU/e community.