Embracing Inclusivity at SEFI 2024

At SEFI, We believe that diversity across all dimensions is essential to enriching engineering educational and professional experiences. Diversity fuels innovative and creative solutions to address the world’s complex challenges as it also ensures that engineered solutions meet the needs of all people. We embrace a broad understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion and work to better represent all SEFI members and the wider engineering education community.

We’re proud to introduce a series of inclusivity initiatives designed to welcome and support participation  from across the engineering education community. Our goal is to make SEFI2024 accessible, enjoyable, and enriching for everyone.

Morning Wellness Activities: Yoga, Tai Chi, Mindfulness, and Running/Walking

All activities will be from 7:30 to 8:00

Conferences are very busy events that require a lot of social and cognitive engagement – while this can be stimulating, it can also be overwhelming. The importance of maintaining mental and physical health in such situations cannot be overstated, particularly as these factors are crucial in enhancing overall engagement and productivity.

Our Initiative:

Emphasising the significance of community and informal networking, we are delighted to offer a variety of morning wellness activities at SEFI 2024. These sessions provide a dual opportunity: to engage in activities such as yoga, tai chi, mindfulness, or running/walking, and to foster relationships in a relaxed setting. These activities are specially designed not only to invigorate the body but also to clear the mind, paving the way for increased concentration and a better conference experience.

Logistics:

The activities will take place on or near the EPFL campus every morning (Tues – Thurs) from 7:00 to 8:00.  They do not require prior experience (except for the running), and are facilitated by professional instructors, offering a friendly and inclusive environment perfect for making new connections.

• The yoga, tai chi, mindfulness sessions will have a limited number of spaces.
• Running/walking requires registration but will not have any limits to the number of people. 
• Participants should wear comfortable attire and bring any necessary items, such as running shoes.

Multilingual Live Subtitles, Text and Audio Reading

SEFI conference attendees come from diverse linguistic backgrounds. The presence of language barriers can impede full participation and access to knowledge shared at the conference, potentially marginalising non-native English speakers. Additionally, auditory disabilities can significantly hinder participants’ ability to engage fully with the conference content.

Our Initiative:

To foster linguistic and auditory inclusivity, we are excited to introduce live subtitles (text and AI reading of text) in multiple languages. This service will be available in German, English, French, and Spanish, covering a wide range of primary languages of our anticipated attendees. Live multilingual subtitles will provide an additional mode of engagement with the academic content while helping overcome language barriers and enhancing the experience for participants with auditory disabilities.

Logistics:

This multilingual support will be seamlessly integrated into the three keynote sessions. Participants will be able to access live subtitles (text or AI read) directly on their personal devices via a dedicated app. Information on how to connect to and use these services will be provided soon.

Keynote livestreams

We are happy to announce in partnership with Switch and Kaltura that the Keynote speeches will be streamed online. This allows people from outside of the campus to still follow part of the conference, as well as allowing for a more interactive experience with a live chat for each speech to ask questions to the speaker and share thoughts.

To gain access to the online SEFI event platform for the keynote speeches and more, simply register below.

Inclusivity ribbons

Navigating a conference, especially for the first time or at an unfamiliar location, can be daunting. Creating visible cues for support and interaction can significantly enhance the conference experience for everyone.

Our Initiative: 

Our inclusivity ribbons are more than just adornments; they are conversation starters and support signals. With tags like « First time at SEFI », « SEFI Ally », and « Ask me about EPFL », these stickers help attendees identify peers for networking, support, and questions, fostering a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere.

Logistics: 

Pick up your stickers at the registration desk to represent your interests or roles at the conference. « SEFI Ally » stickers will be offered to those who take part in the training (see next point) and make a commitment to promoting inclusivity at the conference.

Wear them proudly!

SEFI Ally Training with Breakfast

Inclusivity is not just a policy but a practice. It requires ongoing learning and engagement to create a truly welcoming environment.

Our Initiative: 

Join us for an Inclusivity Ally Training session, accompanied by breakfast, on the first morning of the conference. This session is designed to equip attendees with the knowledge and tools to be more effective allies, promoting a culture of respect, understanding, and support throughout the SEFI 2024 event.

Logistics: 

• The training (with complimentary breakfast) will take place on Monday September 2nd before the first session.
• Please express your interest on the registration form and we will get back to you with details about time and location. 

Sponsored Childcare

We recognize that attending a conference while managing caring responsibilities can be a significant hurdle for many participants, especially for parents and guardians of children. This challenge can deter talented individuals from participating and contributing to our event.

Our Initiative: 

To support attendees who are responsible for children, we are thrilled to offer limited sponsored childcare services during the SEFI 2024 conference. This initiative aims to provide safe, engaging, and professional childcare solutions, enabling participants to engage with the conference content and networking opportunities. Childcare will be provided by l’Ecoline, an organisation that provides bilingual (french-english) child care that meets the standards of the Swiss OAJE (Office de l’accueil de jour des enfants).

Logistics: 

• Childcare will be offered from 8:30  to 17:30 on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and from 8:30 to 13:30 on Thursday. Interested parents/guardians can indicate interest in all or any of these days. 
• To express your interest in this service please fill this form: SEFI2024: Childcare (express your interest)
• Childcare places will be offered in priority of (i) first requests and (ii) availability of spaces from the 15th of May 2024.
• Parents/guardians must confirm their acceptance of offered spaces within 2 weeks. 

Scholarships for Students and Early Career Researchers

Financial constraints should not be a barrier to accessing new knowledge and networks. Students and early career researchers from low-income and underrepresented countries often face significant obstacles in attending international conferences.

Our Initiative: 

We are committed to fostering diversity and inclusion by offering scholarships (up to CHF 500.00) that reduce registration fees for newer researchers and students. These scholarships are designed to empower students and early career researchers, enabling them to share their work, learn from others, and build essential networks.

Logistics: 

• Criteria for application:
• • You are a student or an early career researchers (up to 7 years of research activity post doctoral degree)
  • The geographic location of your institution matches EU widening criteria or Low/Lower middle income countries
  •  You have made a submission to the SEFI 2024 conference (e.g., practice paper, research paper, workshop). Your submission does not need to have been accepted.
• To express your interest in this service please fill this form: SEFI2024: Application for Scholarship
• Scholarships will be offered in priority of (i) order in which applications were received and (ii) Geographical diversity
• Applications must be received by May 15; decisions will be communicated May 27 (i.e. before June 15 end of early-bird rates for those who do not receive it. Acceptance of scholarship MUST be confirmed by May 31 (or else it will be offered to the next person on the list).

At SEFI2024, we’re dedicated to breaking down barriers and building bridges. These inclusivity initiatives are a step towards creating a diverse, accessible, and vibrant conference experience. We look forward to welcoming you in Lausanne and celebrating inclusivity together