About Embracing Diversity

Course description

Because of gender stereotypes, women are still given fewer opportunities in life and they have to put more effort into making people understand their value and creativity. LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) people can also be discriminated against because of prejudices and biases.

Embracing diversity is essential for developing the talent of everyone and for promoting creativity and innovation in academic, social and corporate environments. This 4-week course is aimed at understanding what the roots of biases and stereotypes are, what practical solutions are possible to adopt to promote the inclusion of women and LGBT people in these environments, and why gender and sexual diversity drives innovation and generates new energy.

The course also reports the cases of some businesses that have decided to apply this strategy, successfully, in promoting the inclusion of women and LGBT people to create a fertile, authentic work environment for everyone. To understand these practices, the course participants will get to know two associations that initiated an effort to alter conscious and unconscious biases. Finally, the course provides a bibliography about gender and sexuality.

Course staff

Andrea Notarnicola

Andrea Notarnicola is a diversity and inclusion practitioner.
His career in culture change, education and communication consultancy began 20 years ago in Electrolux. Then he joined the Deloitte Consulting Change Leadership team.

In the last 20 years, he has worked on diversity and inclusion with many organizations. He has specialized in internal communications, training and coaching, and he has been involved in the delivery of a wide spectrum of projects.

Marco Minghetti invited him to be one of the promoters of “humanistic management” (storytelling, literature, cinema, drama, and art for culture change).
He was the Newton project leader of the open distance Master Programme MASTER 24, which involved more than 10.000 people.
He is the training manager of Parks, a European association for LGBT issues in the workplace. Together with Giampaolo Colletti, he wrote the first book in Italy on LGBT issues in the business environment.
He has been a lecturer for several universities and schools with many of which he still collaborates: 24 ORE Business School, Venice Ca’ Foscari, IULM, Udine, Cattolica Milano, Bocconi, Pavia, Trieste, MIB School of Management, ALMA Business School, and Domus Academy.
In 2015, he was the main speaker of the Global LGBT Leadership Forum in Dallas during the “Global Inclusion Day”.

FAQ

How much does the course cost?

Nothing! You can access the course absolutely free of charge and completely online 24/7.

Will I receive a Certificate of Accomplishment at the end of the course?

Yes, at the end of the course you will receive a Certificate of Accomplishment to show that you successfully completed the course (by answering correctly to at least 60% of the questions included in the quizzes).

The Certificate is not valid for university credits, nor it represents a statement to prove the passing of the university admission test at Politecnico di Milano or at any other university.

What should I do in order to receive the Certificate?

The Certificate of Accomplishment will be released to anyone who successfully completed the course (by answering correctly to at least 60% of the questions included in the quizzes). You will be able to download the Certificate of Accomplishment directly on the website. Pay attention: the certificate will be generated only after the closing of the edition. In order to view and download it you will have to wait a few days after the completion of the course.

I wasn’t able to view all course materials and to complete the quizzes before the end of the edition; what should I do?

The course materials will still be available to all registered users for a long time, even after the closing of the edition. In order to obtain a Certificate of Accomplishment, instead, you will have to register to an active edition of the course and answer correctly to the quizzes.

Are there any specific pre requisites to attend the course?

No, no particular pre requisites are needed.