Privilege Awareness
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Intended audience: lecturers, researchers, students, administrative staff
Description: In today’s diverse (academic) environments, equity and inclusion efforts often center on addressing discrimination and integrating “others.” Yet discrimination and privilege are two sides of the same coin, with both shaping our interactions and experiences. In this context, privilege refers to unearned advantages embedded in societal structures that influence power dynamics and create unequal access to opportunities. This workshop illuminates these hidden forces, by empowering you not only to reflect on but also to actively address the impact of privilege in your academic communities.
Through self-reflection exercises and interactive group discussions, you will explore how your personal identity – shaped by factors such as gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status – can create perception gaps that affect both your perception of self and your understanding of others. By exploring these interconnected themes, you will gain practical strategies to identify unconscious behavioral patterns and biases. The workshop is intentionally designed for participants from all levels of the university – lecturers, researchers, administrative staff, and students – to foster a dialogue between these groups and promote more inclusive and equitable academic communities for all.
By the end of the session, you can expect to have gained:
* enhanced self-awareness and a deeper understanding of your own identities
* practical tools to navigate and mitigate unconscious power dynamics based on an improved understanding of (institutional) privilege
* communication skills for how to speak up and be an active “advocate” for others
* insights into fostering a more inclusive and equitable academic community
Trainer: MMag. Dr. Simone Adams (University of Graz, Center for Digital Teaching and Learning)
Free of charge!
Registration including academic field of study, current stage of studies and semester: online here
Contact: weiterbildung.gleichstellung(at)uni-graz.at, Tel. 0316/380-1020
Time: 13. March 2026, 9 am - 4 pm & Follow-Up: 27. March 2026, 1 pm - 4 pm
Place: SZ 15.22, ReSoWi-Centre, 2nd Floor, Part G
An event part of the “Potenziale” cooperation between Graz University of Technology, University of Graz, Medical University of Graz and University of Music and Performing Arts Graz.