Advancing Inclusion Through Engagement
10 Jun 2026WAHEN is pleased to highlight the participation of WAHED Director Professor Graeme Atherton in the Peer Learning Activity (PLA) “From Campus to Community: Advancing Inclusion through Engagement,” held online on 5 June 2026. Organised within the INSPIRE project by the co-chairs of the EHEA Thematic Peer Group D on the Social Dimension, the session focused on Principle 9 (Community Engagement) from the Principles and Guidelines to Strengthen the Social Dimension of Higher Education in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).
The PLA brought together policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to explore how higher education institutions can embed community engagement as a core part of their mission. Through presentations and lively discussion, participants examined how collaboration with local, regional, and national partners can support more inclusive systems, with particular attention to the role of policy frameworks, networks, and institutional support mechanisms in enabling this work.
Professor Atherton spoke on “Building Inclusive Higher Education Through Community Partnerships: A Global Overview,” contributing a both historical and international perspective on how partnerships can widen access and improve student outcomes. He was joined by a range of speakers, including Thomas Farnell (Institute for the Development of Education, Croatia) on European frameworks for community engagement, Professor Silvia Llach Carles (University of Girona) on institutional practice and challenges, Yasmine Goossens (UC Leuven-Limburg) on student-led engagement initiatives, and representatives from the forEU4all project.
The discussion reinforced the growing recognition of community engagement as a vital component of higher education’s social mission and the importance of international networks in building and maintaining these practices.