EDI Working Group Members Announced

Dear ELIA Members,

It is with great joy that I can announce the selected representatives of ELIA’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) Working Group. This has been a momentous step in the right direction as we move towards making the arts in higher education more inclusive, rejecting systemic racism and discrimination, while creating a positive impact across all social justice areas.

One of ELIA’s key strategic priorities for 2020-2024 is ‘Excellence through diversities: Equal Opportunities and Inclusivity'. With this in mind, the EDI Working Group will promote good practice strategies and initiatives that help ELIA members to:

• Address equity, inclusion, and diversity within their institutions.
• Raise awareness among leadership, staff and students.
• Connect to other relevant organisations/parties dealing with EDI.
• Help ELIA raise its voice against discrimination in the HAE sector.

As chair of the EDI Working Group, I greatly look forward to working with this wonderful team of individuals who bring with them such a wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise. ELIA Representative Board heartily supports the formation of the group who had their first meeting / onboarding session last week (from which we took this photo).

ELIA EDI Working Group members include:

Cecilia Roos, Stockholm University of the Arts (Chair)

Mata Ayoub, Kingston University London, Kingston School of Art

Egija Inzule, Nida Art Colony Vilnius Art Academy

Jyoti Mistry, Gothenburg University, Faculty of Fine, Applied and Performing Art

Pratāp Rughani, University of the Arts London (ELIA Representative Board)

Ali Şahin, Willem de Kooning Academy / Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences

Núria Sempere, Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya (ESMUC)

Ingrid Schacherl, Academy of Fine Arts Vienna

Maria Hansen, ELIA Executive Director

Amalia Smyrnioti, ELIA Web and Community Officer

As we move forward, we will keep you regularly updated you with our progress. Thank you to all those institutions who nominated candidates. We appreciate your invaluable support.

With kindest regards,

Cecilia Roos

ELIA EDI Working Group (Chair)

ELIA Representative Board Member