Leading University of Ljubljana’s new Idea Office

Assoc. prof. dr. Petra Videmšek is responsible for the professional management of the new Office for Equality and Inclusion (PEV) at the University of Ljubljana. Her area of expertise focuses on involving services users to develop social work education, as well as on the empowerment and advocacy of people with mental illness and intellectual disabilities. We reached out to find out: 

The office’s top priorities

The fundamental aim of the Equality and Inclusion Office (PEV) is to contribute to the development of a general culture of inclusion, tolerance and integration in an open academic community.

This includes providing information on the principles of equality and legal foundations that ensure equal opportunities and dignity; to point out violations; and to systematically ensure integration in the academic community.

To this end, the office is linked to the work of the Student Ombudsman Service, the Student Affairs Committee, the Psychosocial Counselling Services and the activities of the Equality Plan Implementation Working Group.

What expertise are you bringing to the table? 

My knowledge of social work is certainly very useful, because in social work we have developed the concepts of participation, empowerment and, above all, the concept of co-creation. My work is based on theories developed by people who have experienced exclusion themselves. The slogan “Nothing about us without us” is a guideline for the work of the office. We do not want to plan from the top down, but from the bottom up. We start from the needs and plan further activities around these needs. I believe this is the most effective way of providing support, based on partnership and dialogue.

Of course, my knowledge of social work alone is not enough, an interdisciplinary approach is needed to ensure inclusion. Teamwork and an interdisciplinary approach are essential to developing an inclusive and compassionate community.