launch of the centre for research in education inclusion & diversity 4th november 2004, 4.30pm

Launch of the

Centre for Research in Education Inclusion & Diversity

4th November 2004, 4.30pm

Godfrey Thomson Hall

Chair & Welcome

Professor Pamela Munn Head of the Moray House School of Education

The University of Edinburgh

Promoting Inclusion & Diversity at the University of Edinburgh

Professor Vicki Bruce

Head of College, School of Humanities & Social Science The University of Edinburgh

College of Humanities and Social Science

• Approx 60% of students at UoE (>12,000)

• 10 ‘Schools’ accommodating c. 1000 staff

• Enormous range of disciplines

• Depth and breadth (e.g. 17 languages in LLC)

• Schools operating rather like mini-faculties – important to have strong cross-cutting activities too.


Key Strategic Issues for HSS

• Research

• Staff and employment issues

• Teaching and learning issues

• Resources


CREID

• Coordinating excellent research, fundable by a range of external agencies

• Promoting interdisciplinary links between MHSE and other schools

• Thereby developing research capacity in staff within and beyond Moray House School of Education

• Research themes resonate with our mission to widen participation in higher education by under-represented groups (UoE new admissions policy)

• For the above reasons the College has invested resource in the foundation of this Centre


Inclusion and diversity

• Range of disciplines

• Styles of research

• Levels of participation

• CREID joins a range of other cross-cutting Centres, funded by ESRC, AHRB, SHEFC and other funders.


Working Together: Inclusion & Diversity Across Agencies

Graham Donaldson Senior Chief Inspector of Education

HM Inspectorate of Education

Challenges for Inclusion & Diversity in Higher Education

Professor Janet Finch Vice Chancellor Keele University

Chair of Equality Challenge Unit Management Board

Three Questions

• What is the problem?

• What are the drivers for change?

• What are the priorities?

What is the problem?

• Patterns of employment

• Legislation: ‘distance from target’

• Credibility of sector: high profile

Internal drivers (sector/institutions)

• Dissonance: composition of student vs staff bodies

• Expectations of our staff and students

• Responsibility to communities within and outside HEIs

What are the drivers for change?

What are the drivers for change?

External drivers:

• Legislation

• Good practice (impact on recruitment, retention, etc)

What are the priorities?

• Mainstreaming equal opportunities/diversity

• Cultural change: everyone’s business

• Leadership

Challenges for Inclusion & Diversity in Scottish Education

Heather Jones Head of Pupil Support & Inclusion

Scottish Executive

Inclusion & Diversity: The Emerging Research Agenda

Professor Sheila Riddell Director of CREID

The University of Edinburgh

•Established with support of the College of Humanities & Social Sciences & the Moray House School of Education

•Launch: 4th November, 5.00p.m. Godfrey Thomson Hall, the Moray House School of Education

•Website: www.creid.ed.ac.uk

Centre for Research in Education Inclusion & Diversity, University of Edinburgh

CREID

http://www.creid.ed.ac.uk/

CREID’s mission is to undertake research which explores issues of inclusion and exclusion for children and adults in education and related social policy fields, including training, employment, health and social care. The Centre aims to undertake high quality research to inform policy and practice geared towards the pursuit of equality, social justice and social inclusion for a wide range of disadvantaged groups.


Mission Statement

Staff:

Centre Director: Professor Sheila RiddellDeputy Director: Dr Anne Stafford

Research Fellow: Dr Elisabet WeedonCentre Administrator: Catherine Burns

Affiliates:

Professor Pamela MunnDr Gwynedd Lloyd

Dr Paul NisbetDr Ernst Thoutenhoofd

Professor Lyn Tett


Education & Children’s Services

• Equality & inclusion: one of five National Priorities established by the Scottish Executive Education Department

• Statutory duty on education authorities to set out in their annual improvement plans how they will encourage equal opportunities in their schools.

• New legislation - Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 – intended to encompass more exclusion/vulnerable children

• For Scotland’s Children – emphasis on inter-agency working between health, education and social work

• Establishment of the Commissioner for Children and Young People in Scotland

Themes developed in current work on school discipline, restorative practices, EPSRC proposal on children’s use of the web


The Centre’s Areas of Interest

• Government policy on lifelong learning, training and employment stresses principles of inclusion and diversity.

• Working Together for a Healthier Scotland - Links education, training, employment & health

• Widening access to higher education – key theme of government policy

Themes developed in current work on disabled students’ experience of higher education, disabled people & employment, EU Sixth Framework project on European policy on lifelong learning & EU EQUAL projects on gender segregation of labour market & worklife adaptability


Lifelong Learning

• Proposal for Equality & Human Rights Commission, replacing the commissions for disability, race and gender in line with the European Employment Directives.

• Discrimination unlawful in relation to six equality strands (gender, ‘race’, disability, religion, sexual orientation and age).

• Emphasis on ‘mainstreaming’ – implications for policy & identity

• Public sector duty to promote equality in relation to race (RRAA, 2000) & disability (new Disability Bill)

• Different approaches to equality in devolved UK administrations

Theme reflected in ESRC seminar series: Public Policy & Equality in the Context of Devolution and grant application planned for ESRC programme on Public Services


Equality & Human Rights Commission

• Develop links with individuals & Centres in different parts of University of Edinburgh, other Scottish, UK and European universities

• Education major focus of interest – but also policy arenas interfacing with education

• Types of research: policy analysis, analysis of large datasets, in-depth qualitative studies work, evaluations of policy innovations

• Develop research team with range of research skills, different disciplinary bases, strong links with policy and practice community


Future Plans

• Enhancing the quality and outcomes of disabled students’ learning in higher education , Funder: ESRC, Dates : 2004 – 2008.

• Disabled People and Direct Payments in the Context of Devolution, Funder: ESRC, Dates: 2004 – 2006

• Evaluation of the Discipline Task Group Recommendations: The Deployment of Additional Staff to Promote Positive School Discipline, Funder: Scottish Executive Education Department, Dates: 2003 – 2004.

• Evaluation of the Scottish Pilot of Restorative Practices in School Settings, Funder: Education Department, Dates: 2004 – 2006.

• School Discipline in Scotland: A Literature Review, Funder: Scottish Executive Education Department, Dates: 2004.

• Public Policy, Equality and Diversity: A Seminar Series, Funder: ESRC, Dates: 2004

• Disability and Employment in Scotland: A Review of the Evidence Base, Funder: Scottish Executive Equalities Unit, Dates: 2003-2004

• Parenting & Children’s Resilience in Disadvantaged Communities, Funder: JRF, Dates: finish 2005

• Children’s Resilience: Negotiating Opportunities and Threats in Disadvantaged Communities , Funder: JRF, Dates: finish 2005

• Report of a Literature Review on Parenting & Resilience , Funder: JRF, Dates: finish 2005


Current Projects

Questions

Professor Pamela Munn Head of Moray House School of Education

University of Edinburgh

CLOSE

Professor Sheila Riddell Director of CREID

University of Edinburgh

launch of the centre for research in education inclusion & diversity 4th november 2004, 4.30pm

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