Developing Across Differences: Using the Power of Belonging
Belonging is a crucial, approachable element often missing in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Additionally, Belonging is often more welcome and less polarizing than other DEI approaches to which there may be entrenched resistance.
Learn how strategically focusing on this shared human need — and navigating the delicate balance between inclusion and exclusion — can improve well-being and performance, making diverse teams and organizations more effective.
Why should you attend?
A strong sense of Belonging is proven to enhance collaboration, performance, compassion, engagement, and wellbeing. People who feel a strong sense of Belonging to their team or organization thrive.
In contrast, the absence of Belonging can lead to isolation, disengagement, and a loss of cooperation and potential. Further, when practices are not designed intentionally and carefully, the result can be unwanted side effects, e.g. exclusion / othering and intergroup conflict.
Join this course to learn how to leverage the power of Belonging to support increased organizational and team engagement, inclusion, and performance.
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Part 1 of this course explores the science of Belonging as a universal need and “psychological wise interventions”: brief, targeted strategies that aim to change how people interpret themselves, others, and / or social situations for the better.
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Part 2 offers practical tools and exercises to design, implement, and assess customizable evidence-based solutions ranging from “wise interventions” to broader organizational efforts.
Leave with a personalized blueprint for measuring and promoting Belonging within your organization / team setting.
Practical information
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Dates
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8 July 2025
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Location
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Academy Building (Broerstraat 5) or Harmonie Building (Oude Kijk in Het Jatstraat 26)
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Level
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PhD/Postdoc/Practitioners May be appropriate for some MA students; contact the organisers for consultation about eligibility |
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Fees
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€ 615 includes course and materials, optional evening programming |
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Academic coordinators
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Dr. Nadine Binder, Annelie Wambeek |
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Contact |
ic rug.nl or info iddifferences.org |
Requirements
Participant profile
This course is for you if are — or are helping those who are —
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An organizational leader or manager looking to create a more inclusive work environment, enhance cohesion, and improve overall workplace culture among your diverse employees / team members.
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A practitioner (educator, consultant, trainer) seeking practical and evidence-based strategies to promote Belonging as part of your larger DEI efforts including strategic planning, program implementation, consulting, training, and / or coaching.
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Serving in a role that supports leaders and teams in their development to improve engagement and performance (e.g., HR, people development, leadership or organizational development).
Contact the organisers at ic rug.nl or info iddifferences.org if you have questions about the suitability of this course for your circumstances.
Level requirements
The DAD is for multipliers who help individuals, organizations and societies better recognize, appreciate and use differences as a way of better communicating, working and thriving together.
These are (in-house and external) trainers, educators, consultants, coaches, researchers, scholars, facilitators, HR staff, advanced-level (MA+) students, and professional development specialists with 5+ years of experience/study in the greater Differences field. Contact the organisers at ic rug.nl or info iddifferences.org for consultation about appropriateness and eligibility.
It is expected that the participants have a sufficient command of the English language to actively participate in the discussions and to present their own work in English.
Course schedule
Sunday, 6 July
15.00-18.00 Optional networking event
Tuesday, 8 July
09.00-17:30
LEARNING APPROACH
This course will blend input sessions and discussions about key concepts, research insights and evidence-based practices together with interactive skill-building exercises to help you assess and promote effective Belonging interventions for the teams and/or organizations with which you work.
Learning outcomes
In this course, you will learn how to help yourself and those you work with so that you/they can better:
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Understand the science behind Belonging and its benefits on the individual, team, and organizational levels.
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Learn how to design and implement evidence-based interventions that create and maintain a strong sense of Belonging to strengthen inclusion, engagement, performance, well-being, and organizational outcomes.
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Support Belonging in ways that mitigate the often ignored “dark side” of Belonging: Othering.
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Harness the power of Belonging without unwanted negative side effects such as perpetuating discrimination, reducing social cohesion, or fueling intergroup conflict.
Workload
6 hours of in-class learning and active participation using experiential methods.
Upon successful completion of the programme, the Summer School offers a Certificate of Attendance that mentions the workload of 6 hours (28 hours corresponds to 1 ECTS). Students can apply for recognition of these credits to the relevant authorities in their home institutions, therefore the final decision on awarding credits is at the discretion of their home institutions. We will be happy to provide any necessary information that might be requested in addition to the certificate of attendance.
Application procedure
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Deadline for application
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Regular registration closes on 3 May 2025. Late registration closes on 1 July 2025. |
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Date of selection
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Within 72 hours following registration, you will be contacted directly by the organisers about your application. |
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Application
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Participants submit payment and details about their interest at the link below (click the "Apply now!" button). They will be contacted directly by the organisers about their experience and the suitability of the course.
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Please note that as all courses are subject to meeting minimum enrolments, the DAD team will confirm on or before 19 May 2025 that your course is taking place. We strongly advise you not to book non-refundable travel until you have received this confirmation. In all cases, refunds for courses are not available except in the case of course cancellation by the DAD organisers. In the case that your preferred course is cancelled, you are welcomed to enroll in an alternative course or request a refund. You will be notified on or before 19 May 2025 if the DAD course is cancelled. This policy is different from that of other University of Groningen Summer School and Language Centre courses. Full details are available on the Developing Across Differences (DAD) Learning Lab & Community Week Terms and Conditions page.
| Last modified: | 03 March 2025 3.05 p.m. |