Diversity at IE University
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What is diversity
At IE University, we celebrate diversity in all its forms. Every year, we welcome students, professors and staff from more than 160 countries, with each person bringing their unique blend of life experience, backgrounds and perspectives to the table. Thanks to their exposure to such a diverse environment, students are ready to actively contribute to a diverse workforce, complete with an open mind, and primed to make their mark on the world we live in.
We believe that diversity is about respecting and celebrating what makes people different. Despite our uniqueness, we all share similarities with certain groups or categories that have been constructed to help organize our day-to-day life in society.
The problems arise, however, when these categories prevent us from being ourselves, due to their weight in society and the behavioral and social expectations that are associated with them.
THE THREE TYPES OF DIVERSITY
As human beings, our identities are spread across three levels of diversity. These include demographic, experiential and cognitive diversity. Remember, in reality, diversity is much less clear cut. These categories are merely designed for classification purposes so that organizations can work on better managing diversity. Read on to find out more about each.
Identities of Origin
Demographic diversity
Demographic diversity refers to the differences amongst individuals that are given to us, either by birth, such as ethnicity, gender or physical traits or by circumstances outside our control like age or losing part of our senses or a physical function. These diversities are often part of general statistics.
Identities of growth
Experiential diversity
Experiential diversity refers to the differences resulting from the life events and personal stories resulting from our choices and circumstances in life. Experiential diversity in an organizational context refers to the expertise that we are able to create, develop and exploit across our professional career including education-based expertise, industry- based expertise and organization based expertise. But it also refers to our choices and preferences in an informal context including friends, tastes or hobbies.
Identities of aspiration
Cognitive diversity
Cognitive diversity is the sum of our demographic and experiential diversity, combined with our patterns of thinking, personality and ability to think creatively. In other words, it’s our unique mindset, and it helps us determine what we want to contribute to the world through our own vision.
DEMOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY
GENDER
RACE AND ETHNICITY
SEXUAL ORIENTATION
AGE
EXPERIENTIAL DIVERSITY
ABILITIES
EDUCATION
HOBBIES
AFFINITIES
COGNITIVE DIVERSITY
THOUGHT PATTERNS
IDEAS
PROBLEM-SOLVING METHODS
PERSPECTIVES
Breaking down barriers: The journey of diversity, inclusion and belonging
At IE University, we want to break down the barriers to education and ensure that everyone has access to equal opportunity. The best way to achieve this is through three steps: diversity, inclusion and belonging. Read on to find out more!
Diversity
The key to appreciating the true value that each individual brings to the table is by understanding what makes them different. Diverse organizations are aware that value lies in the representation of all identities, regardless of whether diverse characteristics are visible or invisible.
Inclusion
As IE University fosters an actively diverse environment, we are able to facilitate a level playing field, an inclusive environment where everyone has the same access to opportunities without any roadblocks.
Belonging
The first step to achieving belonging is through the inclusion of demographic diversity. Once this equal playing field has been achieved, people start to feel a sense of belonging—like they can be themselves, and that their values are reflected in the community. This is connected to well-being, a concept that is upheld by the IE Center for Health, Well-Being and Happiness, facilitating kindness, compassion, empathy and respect within the IE University community.
HOW DOES A DIVERSE ENVIRONMENT BENEFIT STUDENTS IN THE FUTURE?
Diversity is an essential part of our DNA and our pillars at IE University.Â
By fostering a diverse environment, we hope to demonstrate the value of diversity in organizations, so that students can take their learnings and use them to make the world a better place.
JOURNEY TO DIVERSITY
Not only does this approach help to provide a transformative environment for students while they’re here, but it will help them develop their critical thinking, interpersonal and innovation skills, too.Â
Find out more about diversity at IE University through our course on Coursera: The Journey to Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging.
