In Nepal there are a lot of issues concerning teaching and learning for people belonging to marginalized groups, partially due to income inequalities. The EATHEN project was born to enhance participation in education, a practice that is known to reduce inequalities. It aims and support higher education and favor careers in that sector. Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences is the coordinator of the project, that includes European partners as well as Nepalese.
Project's outputs are:
- Developing strategic cooperation between the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) and the universities in Nepal to increase the support to and commitment of universities to enhance equity in enrolment and during academic careers.
- Developing organizational structure and new services for potential applicants from the above-mentioned groups to enhance capacity building of the managers and teachers producing education services in Nepal, as well as to enhance capacity building of managers working in administration in universities and teachers teaching disabled students and students coming from disadvantaged or marginalized groups. The project will establish five support centers properly equipped with competent staff.
- Improving learning environment to facilitate students coming from above mentioned groups to start their studies in higher education institutes. There will be easy access environment, learning materials and capacity to support these students in the HEIs.
The immediate impact will be the improved commitment in management of universities to enhance equity in access to and in support during the academic careers in HEIs. In addition, cooperation and contacts between universities and secondary level schools, local authorities and NGOs representing disabled and marginalized groups will be improved.
