April NUI Galway Hosts Symposium to Explore Issues of Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education

NUI Galway’s Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching has partnered with the University’s Inclusive Learning project team to host a virtual symposium on Inclusive Learning on the 7 and 8 April. The two-day symposium, with an international line-up of speakers and panellists, will explore issues of diversity and inclusion in higher education – locally, nationally and internationally.  

The event will highlight the importance of centering the student voice through panel discussions and workshops on new insights into, and recommendations around, student experiences of inclusion and exclusion. As student populations become increasingly diverse, the symposium will look at what higher education institutions can do to create a truly inclusive learning environment.

President of NUI Galway, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, said: “As our students bring increasingly diverse experiences to our university, representing all the talents in society, we recognise and respect the importance of exploring what we can do to create a truly inclusive learning environment. As a place of learning, we value openly listening, reflecting upon and responding to the needs and concerns of students, while also supporting our staff to navigate an increasingly complex teaching and learning landscape.”

Speakers and panellists include:

• Dr Shivaun Quinlivan, NUI Galway
• Dr Lucy-Ann Buckley, NUI Galway
• Henriette Stoeber, European Universities Association
• Dr Ebun Joseph, University College Dublin
• Anne Marie Stokes, Galway Traveller Movement
• Dr Jesse Stommel, University of Mary Washington
• Professor Julie Rattray, Durham University
• Tracy Galvin, Queen’s University Belfast
• Hamsavani Rajeswaren, Alliance of Choice
• Dr Sharon Flynn Irish Universities Association

The symposium will be of interest to those who are involved in Higher Education, with students particularly welcome to attend and contribute actively to the discussions. Tickets for the free two-day virtual symposium are available from https://bit.ly/3wa04RV  or visit www.eventbrite.co.uk and search for 'Virtual Symposium: Inclusive Learning in Higher Education'.

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