The project
The project
Labs 4 Change is an Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnership fostering equality, diversity and non-discrimination in higher education institutions through social innovation labs.
Why it matters
Discrimination in universities is rarely one thing at a time. Following Kimberlé Crenshaw’s concept of intersectionality, Labs 4 Change starts from the recognition that racism, sexism, classism and other forms of exclusion overlap and reinforce each other. There is no single solution — so we take a participatory, social-justice approach that involves the whole academic community in designing change, rather than measuring graduation rates alone.
Our aims
- Establish Social Innovation Laboratories (Living Labs) within universities to co-create practical solutions.
- Develop an interactive online Academy and webinar series on gender and diversity for staff, students and stakeholders.
- Conduct participatory audits to identify discriminatory biases and recommend improvements.
- Build a network of change agents promoting inclusive education across Europe.
Outcomes & impact
- Three Living Labs addressing local challenges through co-creation.
- Two pilot audits of institutional policies and practices on gender and diversity.
- Ecosystem maps of inequality and inclusion dynamics within universities.
- A network of local experts and stakeholders driving cultural change.
- Open resources and training available through a virtual learning platform.
Project facts
- Programme
- Erasmus+ KA220-HED — Cooperation Partnerships in Higher Education
- Grant agreement
- 2024-1-ES01-KA220-HED-000248544
- Duration
- 1 September 2024 – 31 August 2026
- Budget
- €400,000, co-funded by the European Union
- Coordinator
- Mondragon Unibertsitatea — Faculty of Business Studies (Spain)