Academic inclusion: A debated and interdisciplinary concept

The first chapter—Academic inclusion: A debated and interdisciplinary concept (M.F. Freda, N. Rainone, M. Striano, and P. Valerio)—discusses the complex inclusion construct, currently under debate in many disciplines. The work addresses some theoretical issues regarding inclusion and highlights the opportunities and challenges created by the current international commitment to delivering social inclusion for all. This chapter takes into account the multiplicity of possible definitions for academic inclusion and examines the operationalization difficulties in terms of specific measurement indicators. Furthermore, it focuses on the measures and strategies adopted at the European level to promote inclusion in higher education to prevent student drop-out risks and underachievement. For this, this chapter argues for a link between resilience and inclusion, stressing the resilience competence to use resources in a functional manner. At the end, the chapter proposes a theoretical “resilient inclusion” model.