Samenvatting

In response to demographic changes in the Netherlands, schools in the Dutch higher education sector aim to develop and implement diversity policies and interventions to increase the representation of ethnic minorities in the work place. How can such a structural movement for diversity development within an institution for higher education be achieved? This is the central research question in our study. In order to answer this question, we implemented a set of five interrelated diversity innovations in a relatively homogeneous school for higher education. The innovations were designed to increase both recruitment and retention of minority workers and an inclusive organisation culture where the extra value of diversity is appreciated and utilized. The outcomes of the interventions were studied, using various research methods such as interviews and observations. The analysis shows that the interventions have indeed stimulated an active involvement for diversity development in the organization. They increased the visibility in the minority community of the school as a potential employer that values diversity. They raised the awareness of both minority and majority employees in the school of the importance of diversity for the quality of their work, and showed them ways to make better use of this diversity. For the organization, they increased awareness of which organizational strategies, policies and practices can be used to become more diverse and make better use of the diversity that is present in the organisation. And most important, they increased the intention to actively integrate diversity in all organizational practices. These results underline the importance of involving all organizational members in designing and implementing diversity policies.