A new project will be funded by the T.I.M.E. Association – Diversity in STEM (Coordinator Politecnico di Milano together with Technische Universität Berlin and Université Libre de Bruxelles)
The project is going to start from the “Embracing Diversity” MOOC, delivered on POK (Polimi Open Knowledge), to enrich it with additional contents
and activities focused on the enhancement of diversity in academic STEM area. The contents of the MOOC are currently structured in weeks and include the themes of biological sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, the roots of biases and stereotypes, a selected video bibliography and successful case studies of diversity enhancement and inclusion. Starting from here, the MOOC will be developed according to two main directions. The first one is represented by the realization of an additional week focused on gender enhancement in STEM area, proposing a reflection on the widespread stereotype according to which STEM studies and carriers are a prerogative of men. The second direction is based on the involvement of students in a raising awareness activity on their personal bias on diversity, gender and LGBT through the use of a dedicated Webapp (Mybias).These two elements, together with the international exchange dimension enhanced by the participation to the project of students belonging to the three partner institutions identified, will play a crucial role in increasing the impact of the current MOOC on the development of the above mentioned important soft skill. The three universities will experience in fact the delivery of the new MOOC to a selected group of students through a dedicated pilot experience in each institution.