Obtaining inclusion in higher education instrumentally: Swedish university experience

The analysis of Bologna documents shows that expansion of inclusive processes in European HE represents a ‘social dimension in education’ and is essential to the implementation of the Bologna Declaration. Swedish history of Inclusion of students with SEN HE Institutions is closely connected to the Nordic democratic educational traditions as well and counts its own experience of inclusion in HE, approximately 5 decades period, referring to the 1960–70s. At that time the diversification of Swedish HE, caused the growth of a significant number of universities across the country. A systematic special education support service for students with SEN in Sweden has developed during the last two decades. Today educational support for students’ service at the Swedish Universities is an integral part of the well-functioning network among several Swedish national actors: special education services of HEIs, UHR, SPSM and Stockholm University. Examining the theoretical foundation engendered conceptual approaches to understanding inclusion in HEIs from both individual and institutional perspectives. Responding to the expansion and belief in the fundamental value of inclusion for European HE, the Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR) initiated the development of a new program for standardizing different aspects of the inclusion of students with SEN in HEIs, creating NAIS and started its cross-country university functional network implementation in 2017, linking it with 32 HEIs all over Sweden. Introduction to this study data, collected by the NAIS program, is of great interest for the further development of university and societal knowledge about the inclusion of young people with special educational needs in HEIs. The issues suggested for the discussion are based on some results of the implementation of NAIS program at the University of Gävle.3.3.1.34.12724-2019 - Högskolan i Gävle, Akademin för utbildning och ekonomi 2019-11-08 - Linnaeus-Palme Partnerska