17a: One-to-one teaching and supervising at universities (of the arts): Special challenges also for ombudspersons

Anna-Katharina Rothwangl (Austria), Michaela Raisová (Czechia (Czech Republic)), Jorge Pereira (Portugal)

In art and music classes within higher education it is common that students and teachers are working closely together in one-to-one teaching situations, being possibly exposed to all different kinds of sometimes (critical) physical encounters, but also to special teacher-student relationships. The backgrounds are gender-based violence (GBV), its prevalence, consequences and determinants. Some in the true sense of the word ”hands on” examples shall be discussed and potential avenues of conflict resolution will be presented.

Within Erasmus+ there are currently two projects being carried out in the context of the panel’s topic: PRihME is to foster a safe and healthy sector in which training  and educating creative and socially engaged performing artists through policy recommendations and examples of best practice are to be instructed respectively. UniSAFE at the same time is aiming at better knowledge on GBV and translating this into operational tools. In this session first project results will be presented.

Another aspect is the working relationship between supervisors and supervisees in doctoral studies.

Participants will be invited to discuss how to deal with personal differences and conflicts in the particular arts schools environments as well as doctoral studies and which roles ombudspersons are about to play. Some in the true sense of the word ”hands on” examples shall be discussed. Different institutions will share their experiences in dealing them. 

Presenter(s):

Anna-Katharina Rothwangl: Ombudswoman

Michaela Raisová: Head of the English Authorial Acting Program at HAMU

Jorge Pereira: Provedorde estudantes

17b: Prevention of gender-based violence in higher education as part of the ombuds practice

Michaela Antonín Malaníková (Czechia (Czech Republic)), Guadalupe Barrena (Mexico), Marcela Linková (Czechia (Czech Republic)), Urenda Qúeletzú Navarro Sánchez (Mexico)

Gender-based violence and sexual harassment (GBV) represent one of the most concerning challenges for ombuds practice within higher education now and in the future, given its systemic nature. Universities are hierarchical institutions with a clear structure and as such potentially vulnerable to abuses of power.

The aim of the panel is to discuss and share effective means and methods for developing good practice-based prevention of gender-based violence at universities in the international dimension. In particular, we will focus on the following questions: What is the role of the institution in general and the ombudspersons in particular, in creating a safe environment? What policies and practices have proven to be successful? What challenges continue to be encountered in this regard, whether systemic barriers or the individual resistances of members of the academic community? How to address them as ombudspersons? How do differences at the institutional and national level manifest themselves in prevention solutions?

Presenter(s):

Michaela Antonín Malaníková: Student Ombudsperson at Faculty of Arts, Palacký University Olomouc

Guadalupe Barrena: Head of the Ombuds Office

Marcela Linková: Head of department and researcher

Urenda Qúeletzú Navarro Sánchez: Defensora de los Derechos Universitarios/ University ombudsperson