Deutsche Bundesbank

The bouquets you remember are most likely never twelve identical roses. Neither are the best teams I've worked in. (and I don't mean the kind of diversity that looks good in a company brochure) I mean the kind of different you can't put on a slide: » the one who challenges every idea head-on » the colleague who only speaks when it truly matters » the one whose cultural background shapes how they read a room entirely And honestly? Sometimes that also made collaboration harder. Some spoke up immediately and challenged ideas directly. Others needed more time, and pushed back more quietly. Or my southern European colleagues, for instance, simply weren't fully awake before 9:30 am ☀️ 😄 Early in my career, I sometimes interpreted those differences the wrong way. I'd read silence as disinterest, directness as harshness, and caution as insecurity. Until I realised: People are not difficult. They just don't share our defaults. Diversity at work is not just about representation. I think it's whether people feel safe enough to contribute in their own way. Think of the best bouquet you've ever received. 💐 It probably wasn't twelve identical roses, right? It was the unexpected mix: different colors, shapes, heights. And somehow, each flower brought out the best in the others. The best teams work just like that. The mix is never perfect. But what they build together often is. Happy German diversity day! #DDT26 ♥

It is difficult to recognise dimensions of difference when education systems often encourage a one-size-fits-all approach. Students will inevitably encounter the unfamiliar, but we rarely encourage them to see that wobble as part of thinking itself. Instead, unsure footing is too often framed as failure rather than as a necessary process of learning and growth. Educators too can can experience this, and it is important that our academic institutions encourage us to remain curious, and willing to learn as we work towards more inclusive curricula and pedagogy. Prof Andrea English’s keynote especially resonated with me. The idea that we need a radical shift in how we embrace unsure footing in curriculum development spaces. This matters because it is often in these moments of uncertainty that innovation, new insights, and deeper thinking emerge. This stayed with me during my first visit to the University of Oxford for the Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain (PESGB) annual conference. Without a doubt, it was one of the most thought-provoking conferences I have attended in a long time. I found myself on unsure footing at times, but in the best possible way. It was wonderful to connect with philosophers, researchers, educators, and people simply curious about education and its possibilities. I also thoroughly enjoyed spending the weekend cosplaying as an Oxford student. The food was excellent too 🤭🤭

Danke, dass ich dabei sein durfte. ☺️