What should we try out at INN?

The value inclusion is about ensuring equal access and opportunities for everyone, including minority groups and vulnerable groups.

• Learning support in the local community – Social mentoring programme – A structured partnership between the university and local municipalities where free guidance and mentoring support is offered to vulnerable pupils in primary and secondary school. This is done by trained student volunteers from the university.
• Intercultural and Diversity Day – A two-day celebration of cultural diversity on campus and across the city, with information stands, performances, food, and student-led presentations.
• Human Rights Observatory – A platform that links academic research and teaching with community engagement on human rights. It makes academic discussions on socially relevant issues more visible, accessible, and meaningful to a wider audience.
• General framework for special study arrangements – Aims to support success for all students, no matter what barriers they face, by providing suitable academic and administrative adjustments.
• Service learning in the prison system – Students from different faculties take part in educational and supportive activities for prisoners, such as legal awareness, digital skills, language learning, psychoeducation, or environmental topics.
• “Shared Space” programme – A programme for young people with cognitive disabilities who, due to barriers in education, do not have access to regular university studies. It offers a wide range of support and encourages active involvement from students and staff, ensuring full inclusion in campus life.
• Equality Tuesdays – A monthly seminar series for reflection, discussion, and awareness about equality topics such as gender equality, discrimination based on sexual orientation, racism, social inequality, disability, and other forms of social injustice.
• Equality self-assessments – A structured way to develop equality and inclusion action plans, follow progress, and do peer review. The cycle runs at department and institutional level over five years and supports cross-sector equality work.

The value resilience is about coping with adversity and thriving in the face of it. It gives us the strength to deal with and overcome challenges through effective and innovative measures.

• Resilient Learning Strategies – A structured bachelor’s programme designed to strengthen students’ academic and emotional resilience through self-regulation, metacognitive strategies, and adaptive coping techniques.
• Model United Nations Student-led diplomatic simulations that build skills in negotiation, teamwork, and conflict resolution.
• Psychological Support and Assessment Centre – Provides wellbeing services for students and, where relevant, the wider community.
• Stop Violence Initiative – A programme based on an integrated approach to preventing, reporting, and handling violence, discrimination, harassment, and sexist behaviour among all staff and students.
• Human Rights Clinic – The clinic strengthens legal awareness among children and young people and supports their ability to deal with social and legal challenges.
• Diversity Support Unit – Ensures accessibility, guidance, and support for students with different needs, including LGBTQ+ inclusion. It develops procedures, adjustment protocols, awareness campaigns, training activities, and resources.
• Solidarity Grocery Store – A free campus grocery store aimed at reducing food waste and helping students who struggle to afford regular meals. The initiative is student-run, in partnership with local organisations.
• “First Seven Weeks” – A transition programme designed to help incoming students adapt to university life during the critical first weeks. Through targeted activities, workshops, and support, it addresses common challenges such as navigating university services, adapting to new teaching styles, and developing independent learning skills.

The value sustainability is about letting the global goals for the transition to sustainable societies form the basis for our efforts to create social impact, and about developing innovations in education, research, and our own activities to promote this.

• Mythotopia – Revives the mythological heritage of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace by documenting, mapping, and reactivating local myths through education, digital tools, and sustainable cultural tourism.
• BikeLab – A student-run bicycle workshop that offers maintenance and simple repairs for staff and students who cycle to work and study.
• Earth Hour – Organised by the student association in collaboration with the Department of Architecture and Earth and Environmental Sciences as part of the global Earth Hour campaign.
• The Transition Agreement – A participatory initiative committed to ecological and social transformation, aiming to develop a master plan for sustainable development and social and environmental responsibility by 2035.
• Senior Volunteering at the University Library – A programme that involves older adults in volunteer roles supporting educational, cultural, and community activities. They contribute their experience and time to library services, public events, reading programmes, and knowledge-sharing initiatives, strengthening intergenerational dialogue.
• Green Campus Programme – An environmental engagement initiative that introduces a structured approach across participating faculties based on environmental committees, regular environmental audits, action plans, and continuous evaluation.
• ESS Cargo & CIE – A non-profit association rooted in the social and solidarity economy on the Villejean campus. It creates spaces for exchange and collaboration and is supported by local authorities.
• Healthy UL 2.0 – A framework focused on individual behaviour change and the physical environment, embedding health, wellbeing, and sustainability into university culture, operations, and policy. This holistic campus approach aligns with national and international health-promoting university networks.