Wo kshop
Recommended ci a ion: Ve bo en, C., De Lae , T., Van den B oeck, L., Beagon,
U., Ven u a-Medina, E., Ko esi, K., & Van Soom, C. (2025). Add essing Social and
Academic In eg a ion Challenges o S em S uden s: Co-C ea ing In e en ions o
Fi s -Yea Mino i y S uden s. In Kangaslampi, R., Langie, G., Jä inen, H.-M., &
Nagy, B. (Eds.), SEFI 53 d Annual Con e ence. Eu opean Socie y o Enginee ing
Educa ion (SEFI), Tampe e, Finland. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17631583.
This Con e ence Pape is b ough o you o open access by he 53 d Annual Con e ence
o he Eu opean Socie y o Enginee ing Educa ion (SEFI) a Tampe e Uni e si y in
Tampe e, Finland. This wo k is licensed unde a C ea i e Commons
A ibu ion-NonComme cial-Sha e Alike 4.0 In e na ional License.
ADDRESSING SOCIAL AND ACADEMIC INTEGRATION
CHALLENGES OF STEM STUDENTS: CO-CREATING
INTERVENTIONS FOR FIRST-YEAR MINORITY STUDENTS
C. Ve bo en a,
1
, T. De Lae a, L. Van den B oeck a,
U. Beagon b, E. Ven u a-Medina c, K. Kö esi d,
C. Van Soom a
a KU Leu en, LESEC, Leu en, Belgium, 0009-0008-7998-8934;
0000-0003-0624-3305; 0000-0002-6276-750; 0000-0001-7677-0931
b TU Dublin, Dublin, I eland, 0000-0001-6789-7009
c Eindho en Uni e si y o Technology, Eindho en, he Ne he lands,
0000-0002-1041-945X
d ENSTA - Ins i u Poly echnique de Pa is, BREST, F ance, 0000-0002-4036-6475
Con e ence Key A eas: Di e si y, equi y and inclusion in ou uni e si ies and in ou
eaching; Imp o ing highe enginee ing educa ion h ough esea ching enginee ing
educa ion
Keywo ds: social in eg a ion, academic in eg a ion, in e en ion, i s -yea s uden s,
mino i y
ABSTRACT
Despi e ongoing e o s o enhance en olmen in STEM p og ams, d opou a es
among i s -yea s uden s emain signi ican ly high, pa icula ly among mino i y g oups
such as women, i s -gene a ion s uden s, and app en iceship s uden s (Ma in, 2017).
These s uden s o en ace unique challenges ela ed o hei social and academic
in eg a ion (SAIn ), which a e c ucial o pe sis ence and academic success in highe
educa ion (Tin o, 1975). The In-4-STEM p ojec aims o add ess hese challenges by
designing, implemen ing, and e alua ing inno a i e in e en ions ha suppo mino i y
s uden s du ing hei ansi ion in o highe educa ion (E asmus+, 2024). This
in e ac i e wo kshop p esen s ini ial indings om ocus g oups wi h i s -yea STEM
s uden s, o e ing insigh s in o he expe iences and in eg a ion challenges aced by
mino i y g oups. Building on hese insigh s, pa icipan s will conside hei own
ins i u ional con ex s and engage in a s uc u ed, collabo a i e p ocess o design
in e en ions a ge ing SAIn challenges. Th ough wo king in small g oups,
pa icipan s will c ea e p elimina y designs o in e en ions ha can be implemen ed
1
Co esponding Au ho
C. Ve bo en
cindy. e bo e[email p o ec ed]
o adap ed o hei speci ic se ings and o e cons uc i e eedback on each o he ’s
designs. The wo kshop he e o e aims o os e in e -ins i u ional dialogue, s imula e
c i ical e lec ion, and inspi e pa icipan s o conside solu ions ha can enhance
mino i y s uden s’ social and academic in eg a ion. Pa icipan s will lea e he session
wi h a deepe unde s anding o he in eg a ion challenges aced by mino i y s uden s
and a co-de eloped in e en ion, en iched by pee eedback abou he cons ain s ha
a e associa ed wi h he implemen a ion o his pa icula in e en ion. Ou pu s om he
wo kshop will also con ibu e o he In-4-STEM oolbox ha aims o suppo
educa ional inno a o s and lec u e s wo ldwide o de elop s a egies o ackle SAIn
challenges expe ienced by a di e se g oup o new STEM s uden s.
1 BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE
In esponse o he inc easing demand o STEM g adua es, uni e si ies ha e
unde aken subs an ial ini ia i es o a ac mo e s uden s o science, echnology,
enginee ing, and ma hema ics p og ams. Howe e , emo ing ba ie s o en e STEM
highe educa ion is insu icien i he newly ec ui ed s uden s lea e STEM p og ams
wi hou a deg ee. Indeed s uden e en ion, pa icula ly in hei i s yea , emains a
signi ican challenge, wi h d opou a es in STEM disciplines highe han in o he a eas
(González-Pé ez e al., 2022; Shaw & Ba bu i, 2010). This issue is especially
p onounced among mino i y g oups such as women, i s -gene a ion s uden s, and
app en iceship s uden s, who ace unique ba ie s o social and academic in eg a ion
(Ma in, 2017). S udies ha e shown ha hese s uden s o en s uggle wi h a lowe
sense o belonging (Meeuwisse e al., 2010), limi ed access o academic and pee
suppo (Read e al., 2003), and di icul ies adap ing o he expec a ions and cul u e o
STEM highe educa ion (Thomas, 2002). The In-4-STEM p ojec add esses hese
challenges by de eloping, implemen ing, and e alua ing inno a i e in e en ions o
suppo mino i y s uden s du ing hei ansi ion in o STEM highe educa ion. These
in e en ions a e c ea ed h ough co-c ea ion wi h educa o s, s uden s, and
ins i u ional s akeholde s, and a e based on uni e sal design p inciples, ensu ing
adap abili y o a ious con ex s. This wo kshop is pa o he In-4-STEM p ojec , aiming
o inspi e ins i u ions o e lec on hei p ac ices and de elop s a egies ha enhance
he social and academic in eg a ion o hei s uden s. By b inging oge he di e se
pe spec i es, he wo kshop os e s dialogue and c ea i i y in ackling SAIn challenges
and empowe s pa icipan s o implemen ac ionable ideas in hei own se ings,
con ibu ing o a mo e inclusi e and esilien STEM communi y.
2 WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES
2.1 Ta ge audience
This wo kshop is designed o STEM educa o s, p og amme coo dina o s, s uden
suppo s a , policymake s, di e si y o ice s, and esea che s. I is especially ele an
o p o essionals engaged in i s -yea suppo and inclusion s a egies.
2.2 Expec ed lea ning ou comes
By he end o he wo kshop pa icipan s will
• Gain insigh in o SAIn challenges aced by mino i y s uden s in STEM (LO1)
• Re lec on hei ins i u ional p ac ices and policies in ligh o hese indings (LO2)
• Co-c ea e an in e en ion ha add esses one social/academic in eg a ion
challenge (LO3)
• Discuss he cons ain s associa ed wi h he implemen a ion o a pa icula
in e en ion (LO4)
3 WORKSHOP DESIGN
3.1 Time plan
0-10 minu es: In oduc ion o he In-4-STEM p ojec and o e iew o he wo kshop;
p esen a ion o ocus g oup insigh s on SAIn challenges expe ienced by STEM
s uden s in pa ne ins i u ions (LO1)
10-15 minu es: Indi idual e lec ion on SAIn challenges in pa icipan s' own con ex
(LO2)
15-30 minu es: G oups will engage in b ains o ming sessions o co-c ea e in e en ion
ideas on di e en pos e s (LO3). To suppo his p ocess, a empla e based on he
li e a u e will be p o ided, along wi h guiding ques ions o suppo pa icipan s and
ensu e hey ha e a s uc u ed app oach o wo k om.
30-55 minu es: Pos e o a ion: mixed g oups p esen hei in e en ions and gi e each
o he pee eedback abou he cons ain s ha a e associa ed wi h he implemen a ion
o a pa icula in e en ion (LO4)
55-60 minu es: W ap up: pa icipan s e lec and selec one in e en ion o ake back
o hei own ins i u ional con ex (LO2 and LO4)
3.2 In e ac i i y
This wo kshop uses an in e ac i e design wi h h ee key phases:
• Indi idual e lec ion: Pa icipan s e lec on guided ques ions ela ed o mino i y
g oups, s uden needs, and ins i u ional ba ie s. These p omp s encou age
hem o hink abou hei own speci ic con ex .
• Collabo a i e design: Pa icipan s join small g oups o b ains o m and co-c ea e
an in e en ion. Each g oup ocuses on one key aspec o a SAIn challenge,
wi h acili a o s suppo ing he p ocess (see Figu e 1).
• Pee eedback: G oups eo ganise so ha each pos e includes membe s om
di e en discussion g oups. One membe p esen s he in e en ion while o he s
o e cons uc i e eedback and sugges ions o e inemen . A e se e al
minu es he g oups o a e o a new pos e and epea he p ocess, allowing
each pa icipan o engage wi h mul iple in e en ion ideas and p o ide
eedback om di e en pe spec i es.
Figu e 1 Wo kshop low: co-c ea ion design and pos e o a ion
4 WORKSHOP RESULTS
A o al o 13 pa icipan s engaged in he wo kshop, dis ibu ed ac oss h ee ables ( wo
g oups o ou pa icipan s and one g oup o i e), each suppo ed by a acili a o .
Ac oss he g oups, pa icipan s co-c ea ed h ee dis inc in e en ion designs. To
s uc u e hei ideas, g oups we e guided by ou key ques ions: (1) Who is he a ge
g oup? (2) When does he in e en ion ake place? (3) Wha is he in e en ion abou ?
(4) Who else is in ol ed in he in e en ion?
In e en ion 1 (Table 1):
This g oup combined se e al challenges in o an ex ended p og amme aimed a
suppo ing pionee s uden s and hei pa en s. Thei p oposal cen ed on designing an
o ien a ion week complemen ed by u o ial se ices. The o ien a ion would include
p ac ical sessions, small-g oup campus ou s, and es imonies om senio s uden s.
In addi ion, he g oup p oposed es ablishing a dedica ed s udy spo o weekly
sessions, o e ing con inui y and os e ing a sense o belonging.
In e en ion 2 (Table 2):
This g oup ocused on i s -yea s uden s and designed an in e en ion o connec i s -
yea s uden s wi h a di e se ange o alumni and p o essionals om he ield. Th ough
alks, Q&A sessions, o ole-playing ac i i ies, alumni would sha e insigh s abou hei
daily wo k, highligh ing how hey alloca e hei ime ac oss di e en esponsibili ies.
This was seen as a way o p o ide ole models and demys i y p o essional ajec o ies
in STEM.
In e en ion 3 (Table 3):
This g oup a ge ed all i s -yea bachelo s uden s and p oposed a yea -long,
con inuous p og amme suppo ed by a pilo s udy. The in e en ion ook he o m o a
s uc u ed “How o Su i e Uni e si y” wo kshop se ies, complemen ed by a
suppo i e app co-c ea ed wi h eache s. Ac i i ies would be ailo ed o s uden s’
s a ing poin s, allowing hem o selec om a ange o wo kshops. The in e en ion
also included men o ship om nea -pee s (senio s uden s close o yea one) and a
eedback loop whe e insigh s om sessions could in o m eache s and p og amme
leade s.
Following he ini ial design phase, pa icipan s engaged in a pos e o a ion exe cise
o p o ide pee eedback on each g oup’s in e en ion. Feedback add essed bo h
p ac ical conside a ions (e.g., scheduling, oom a ailabili y) and s a egies o inc ease
s uden pa icipa ion (e.g., o e ing incen i es such as ee lunches). This exchange o
pe spec i es en iched he in e en ions and encou aged pa icipan s o e lec on he
easibili y o implemen a ion wi hin hei own ins i u ional con ex s.
The esul s o he wo kshop will in o m he nex phase o he In-4-STEM p ojec , whe e
we will de elop in e en ions based on ecu ing needs. These in e en ions will be
u he e ined wi h s akeholde s and, whe e easible, es ed in a pilo in e en ion. A
c i ical no e is ha se e al in e en ions depend on ex e nal ac o s (e.g., alumni,
eache s, pa en s) and equi e long- e m ins i u ional commi men , which may
challenge hei easibili y o e ime.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
In-4-STEM is co unded by he E asmus+
p og am o he Eu opean Union (G an n .
2024-1-BE02-KA220-HED-000254104)
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