Equal opportunities, gender equality and discrimination

Increased awareness and knowledge of equal opportunity issues are important prerequisites for actively changing and improving the working conditions of employees and the learning environment of students at Mid Sweden University. Issues related to working conditions, equal opportunities, and the work environment are interconnected in many ways. Equal opportunities pertain to about fairness, equality, and gender equality in our organizational structures, in teaching and research, as well as in our daily formal and informal meetings with colleagues and students.

Aim: The purpose is for participants to develop knowledge and skills to actively and consciously analyze and work with equal opportunities in their own workplace or other contexts.

Content: The four seminars/sessions will cover the following themes:
Session 1: Discrimination and (in)equality: equality and gender equality
Session 2: Power, culture and structures
Session 3: Working conditions and one’s own working environment
Session 4: Preconditions, change, and expectations

Course structure: We will use Teams as the main platform for the course. The course consists of four sessions that incudes group discussions and reflections based on shorter lectures. Each session is based on a specific theme, and between the seminars participants are expected to make their own observations and complete short tasks on their own. Results from the observations and tasks are the basis for a submission of a document with suggestions for, or reflections on, how to bring about change in your own organization. The training provides you with practical exercises on how to contribute to increased awareness and perhaps even concrete changes through practical action in your own business.

We encourage a couple or more employees from different departments or units to participate as it can be useful to talk and collaborate with someone with similar experiences.

Literature: We will use literature that is available online, so you do not need to purchase any literature. The literature will be presented at the first session.

Implementation, time, and costs: The seminar series starts in September 2023 and ends in at the end of November 2023. The seminars are two hours each, and each session is held twice. You can choose to participate either on Tuesday or Thursday at each session. The following sessions are scheduled:

Session 1: Discrimination and (in)equality: equality and gender equality
Wednesday, 6/9, 15:00-17:00 Thursday, 7/9, 10:00-12:00
Session 2: Power, culture and structures
Wednesday, 27/9, 15:00-17:00 Thursday, 28/9, 10:00-12:00 
Session 3: Working conditions and one’s own working environment
Wednesday, 1/11, 15:00-17:00 Thursday, 2/11, 10:00-12:00
Session 4: Preconditions, change, and expectations
Wednesday, 29/11, 15:00-17:00 Thursday, 30/11, 10:00-12:00

Course certificate: After completing the entire seminar series and submitting written work, a course certificate will be issued.

Registration: You can express your interest, after consultation with your manager, using the form below by no later than August 18, 2023. 

For information or questions, please contact the coordinator for equal opportunities:
Lasse Reinikainen
010-142 88 22
lasse.reinikainen@miun.se