Krea University Honoured with the Academic Inclusion Award at the India Education Equality Index (IEEI) 2024 Summit 

We are delighted to share that Krea University has been recognised with an award for Academic Inclusion in the India Education Equality Index (IEEI) 2024 during the IEEI 2024 Summit and Awards Ceremony held in Bengaluru on 26 October, 2024. The ILS (Inclusive Learning Support) team, along with Sayantan Datta, Assistant Professor of Practice, Krea-CWP (Centre for Writing and Pedagogy) received the award on behalf of Krea University. The team thanked the Vice Chancellor Professor Nirmala Rao, the deans and the senior management; and the students, faculty and staff, including the LGBTQIA+ student and faculty collectives on campus, as their work and advocacy has made this possible. Krea University was the most recently established university among the award winners.

The ILS had registered for IEEI as a part of self-assessment, to receive an analysis of Krea University’s strengths, areas needing improvement and practical recommendations to guide Krea’s journey towards building a more inclusive, respectful and welcoming campus for all students. Through the feedback and recommendations provided, the team looks forward to strengthening its efforts and addressing areas for further growth to achieve even greater inclusivity.  This exercise required them to submit a fully comprehensive 360-degree overview of the University’s policies, practices, curriculum, etc for this benchmarking exercise.

About Pride Circle: Pride Circle is a Diversity and Inclusion organisation and is focused on empowering the LGBT+ community and allies by fostering inclusive spaces across businesses, educational institutions and society at large. Pride Circle provides consulting, advocacy, coaching and professional networking programs to support inclusive and safe environments. A significant part of their work, Pride-Ed, is aimed at schools and colleges, working closely with LGBT+ students, teachers and allies to cultivate campuses that celebrate diversity and foster acceptance.

About India Equality Education Index (IEEI): The India Education Equality Index (IEEI), a pioneering initiative by Pride Circle, is India’s first and only benchmarking tool dedicated to measuring LGBT+ inclusion within educational institutions. Launched in January 2024, IEEI empowers colleges and universities to self-assess and monitor their progress in creating safe, respectful, and inclusive environments for all students, irrespective of their sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or sex characteristics (SOGIESC).

Employing a comprehensive framework of benchmarks and inclusion indicators, IEEI meticulously evaluates the current state of LGBT+ inclusion in Indian educational institutions. This initiative aims to guide institutions in self-evaluation and identify areas for improvement, ultimately fostering more inclusive campuses. IEEI offers a structured, open, or anonymous framework for institutions to assess existing practices, pinpoint areas needing enhancement, and implement effective strategies to strengthen LGBT+ inclusion across 7 key themes. This initiative empowers educational institutions to embark on a transformative journey toward creating welcoming and inclusive environments for all. (Source: Pride Circle website)

The other award categories and winners were as follows:

𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬: BITS Pilani has led the way in developing robust anti-discrimination policies and accessible support structures for LGBT+ students and staff

A𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧: Krea University has embraced an inclusive curriculum that acknowledges and celebrates diversity, ensuring that LGBT+ students feel seen and valued in their academic journey

𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 & 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐜𝐲: The Lalit Suri Hospitality School has amplified its commitment to LGBT+ inclusion through strong advocacy and impactful branding, building a campus culture where every voice is heard and celebrated

Participants:
• ABBS School of Management
• AIMS Institutes
• BITS Pilani (Goa)
• BITS Pilani (Hyderabad)
• BITS Pilani (Pilani)
• Krea University
• Maniben Nanavati Women’s College – India
• The Lalit Suri Hospitality School

And two more institutions participated anonymously, all united in the shared vision of a more inclusive future.