SENSEMAKING FOR THE INCLUSION OF REFUGEES IN UNIVERSITIES THROUGH THE EQPR

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are increasingly called to substantiate their impact on society in terms of inclusivity and social sustainability, as prioritised in the pursuit of the “third Mission” (tM). However, how administrative and teaching staff enact such change within the organisation to match the tM goals is under-investigated. this study explores policies and practices to support the recognition of qualifications of refugees for access to Higher Education in Italy, and in particular the European Qualification Passport for refugees (EQPr) as an instrument to pursue the university’s tM. the study contributes to the literature by showing contradictory aspects of HEIs pursuit of the tM and sheds light on the interplay between different dimensions and grounded processes of sensemaking.