Description
Until recently, the idea that higher education (HE) institutions have a role in promoting social justice and providing ‘education for citizenship’ has not been under question, although whose role it is to do so within the university, is often not as clearly identifiable. There are various factors that support the assumption that this is an important aspect of HE; for example, the UK’s Equality Act (2010) Public Sector Equality Duty, states that public sector bodies, such as universities, should pay ‘due regard’ to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination and promote equality of opportunity. This commitment to inclusivity is also often articulated in university mission statements or strategic plans and is echoed in various educational policies and initiatives.An increased sense of citizenship and an awareness and commitment to social justice are often outcomes of additional activities offered within the university outside of the students’ course content, such as participation in volunteering, or peer / community mentoring. In some subject areas, such as those in the humanities, issues of social justice are also key concepts of the curriculum but in others, lecturing staff will not necessarily have considered incorporating such themes. More broadly, institutionally recommended teaching strategies, initiatives and related policies are often designed to support the goal of preparing students to be critical and active citizens who 'internalize an identity of democratic participation and engagement’ (Colby et.al., in Howard et.al., 2022, p.272) but are not always used in practice by all staff, leading to a mixed experience for students.
In this paper, I consider these issues within the context of the development of an Inclusive Learning and Teaching Toolkit as a training resource for academic staff. Underpinned by ideas from both critical and compassionate pedagogy, the Toolkit stand firmly located within a particular political perspective that supports liberalist values that echo those within our Strategic Plan.
In the broader context of political change, the call to promote education for social justice within higher education might be seen to gain a sense of urgency, but deciding who is responsible for its delivery raises questions about whether there is a shared idea of the purpose and role of the university both in the institution, but also within wider society.
| Period | 11 Jul 2025 |
|---|---|
| Event title | University of Brighton Education and Student Experience Conference |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | BrightonShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | Local |