National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

Exploring Interactive Oral Assessment – DCU Teaching Enhancement Unit Seminar
2025-10-01 10:00 - 12:00 UTC
Are you thinking about innovating your assessment practice? Are you looking for authentic assessment approaches which can preserve academic integrity, and promote skill development and student engagement? As part of our 2025 Teaching & Learning week, the DCU Teaching Enhancement Unit will host a seminar on Interactive Oral Assessments and their role in facilitating authenticity and sustaining integrity in the age of Gen AI. Danielle Logan Fleming (the pioneer of the IO model) will speak about the future potential of IOs in becoming programmatic anchors across degrees, ensuring graduate attributes are not only assessed but lived. Colleagues from DCU and a number of other HEIs will share their experiences of designing and implementing IOs within their practice. The seminar is an opportunity for colleagues across institutions to learn about IOs and how they can be implemented across disciplines as well as to gain an understanding of the evolving and innovative assessment landscape.
Please register here to receive the Zoom link. If you have any questions or would like further information please feel free to contact us at: Lily Girme (lily.girme@dcu.ie) and Martina Crehan (martina.crehan@dcu.ie), Teaching Enhancement Unit, Dublin City University. You can find more information about IOs on the DCU IO webpage here

VR-HEd:SETS - Virtual Reality in Higher Education: Sharing Educational Tips and Stories
2025-09-30 08:00 - 2025-11-25 17:00
This lunchtime webinar series – led by Dublin City University and supported by the National Forum for Teaching and Learning – seeks to share practical educational insights into the application of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR) and other forms of immersive learning (IL) in higher education.
Speakers from different disciplines in different institutions will share their experiences of immersive learning technologies, discussing their affordances, highlighting practical considerations, challenges, and illustrating the impact on learners.
The objective of the webinar series is to provide a collaborative, community-oriented space in which all those interested in VR, AR, MR and IL more generally can share and learn from one another. With a focus on the educational application of IL technologies, participants will gain an understanding of how and why IL facilitates learning in and across different disciplines. This will also potentially provide opportunities for synergy and collaboration between participants and institutions.
Whether you are a novice or an expert in immersive learning, whether your work is focused in this area or it is simply an area of interest or intrigue, there is something for all to pick up at these lunchtime webinars.
You can find more information at https://www.dcu.ie/vr-he.

Launch of ESD Compendium and Workshop at TUS
2025-09-24
On September 24th at 11:00 AM (B09) in TUS Athlone and online, CPID will officially launch it’s most recent volume of our compendia series, the Compendium of Embedding Education for Sustainable Development in Teaching, Learning and Assessment.
Professor Vincent Cunnane, TUS President, will formally launch the compendium. Professor Georgina Gough, the UK’s first female Professor of Education for Sustainable Development, will deliver the keynote address. Dr Mark Kelly of the HEA National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Policy Advisor on ESD will also address the launch, which will include examples of some of the TUS case studies published in each of the compendia. Finally, the session will be closed by Mr Duncan Stewart, Architect, Environmentalist and TV Presenter.

Refreshments will be provided on arrival and a light lunch afterwards.
Compendia Launch Details
📅 Date: Wednesday, 24th September 2025
🕙 Time: 11.00 AM – 12.45 PM
📍 Location: TUS Athlone Campus (B09) and Online
👉 Please register here by Monday, 22nd September TUS Compendia Launch & ESD Workshop

Following the launch, at 2:30 PM – 5.00 PM (The Main Boardroom, Athlone Campus), CPID is delighted to host an Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) workshop facilitated by Professor Georgina Gough, Professor of Education for Sustainable Development at the University of the West of England. This workshop is open for all staff to register; no prior experience with ESD is required. If you are interested please register through the following link TUS Compendia Launch & ESD Workshop.

Finally, TUS will be hosting the HEA ESD Spotlight Series (online) on Friday, October 3rd at 1:00 PM where we will showcase the compendium at a national level. Please join us and support TUS wonderful ESD initiatives. Register or learn more: https://hub.teachingandlearning.ie/esd-spotlight-series/
Submitted by: Dr Noëlle O’Connor, Senior University Lecturer, Researcher and Educational Developer, Technological University of the Shannon (TUS).

Mental Health in Higher Education - From Ideas to Action
2025-09-04 08:00 - 17:00
CCT College is hosting a conference on Mental Health in Higher Education – From Ideas to Action this coming September 2025. The conference will take place on Thursday 04 September in the College Green Hotel and CCT College Dublin, with some pre-conference workshops taking place on Wednesday 03 September. CCT College Dublin is funding the conference, so registration is free-of-charge, with lunch included in the beautiful College Green Hotel. CPD Certification is also available to any delegate who requires it for their professional body. Further information about the event is available at our Conference Website

The call for abstracts is now open for submissions of articles, workshops, research studies or case studies related to any of the five themes:

Supporting Student Well-Being: Building Resilient Campus Communities
The Intersection of Mental Health & Academic Pressure
Creating Inclusive Mental Health Supports
Prevention and Early Intervention: Shifting from Crisis to Support
Trauma-Informed Practices in Higher Education

We are excited to hear about your experiences, research, and practical solutions that address contemporary challenges in the area of Mental Health in Higher Education .
We are thrilled to welcome Dr Emma Farrell (Maynooth University) and Dr. Ruth Caleb (Formerly of Brunel University) as our Keynote Speakers
We hope to welcome you to the event and you can register to attend the conference via our Eventbrite Link.
Should you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact the conference committee at conference@cct.ie

EAUC Annual Conference
2025-06-24 08:00 - 2025-06-25 17:00
Bringing over 200 people from the post-16 education sector, this conference will empower you to accelerate your sustainability ambitions and support you delivering impact in your institution.
It’s time to turn discussions into action, building on what’s been done to date and creating transformational change across our sector and beyond. Join us in shaping a future where sustainability isn’t just a goal but an ingrained part of our societal DNA.

Members Register Here
Non-Members Register Here

For more information, visit HOME | EAUC CONFERENCE 2025.

Association for Learning Technology (ALT) - Open Education (OER) Conference
2025-06-23 - 2025-06-24
OER25 Speaking truth to power: open education and AI in the age of populism The 16th annual Open Education Conference (OER25) is set to take place on Monday 23 and Tuesday 24 June 2025 in London at the Resource for London conference center. This year’s conference promises to be an inspiring gathering, to share the latest research, practices, and approaches in open education.
More information: https://www.alt.ac.uk/OER

HEA Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Spotlight Series – University College Dublin
2025-06-20 01:00 - 14:00
About This Event
As part of the Higher Education Authority (HEA) Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Spotlight Series, this session will explore how University College Dublin (UCD) is integrating ESD across teaching, research, and institutional initiatives and activities, supporting the development of sustainable practices within higher education.
What to Expect

Overview of UCD’s approach to ESD
Case studies on embedding sustainability in teaching, learning and research.
Practical takeaways for leaders, educators, researchers, and those supporting teaching and learning.
Opportunities for Q&A and peer learning.

Speakers
Professor Tasman Crowe is Vice-President for Sustainability at University College Dublin. Previously, he was director of the UCD Earth Institute and co-founder and co-director of a new interdisciplinary BSc in Sustainability. He is chair of Ireland’s National Biodiversity Forum and chaired an advisory group to government on the expansion of Ireland’s network of Marine Protected Areas.
His research characterises impacts of multiple stressors on marine ecosystems and the services they provide to society, including their cultural value. Professor Emma O’Neill is Co-Chair of the Education, Student Experience and Professional Development for Sustainability core working group in UCD. She is Professor in Small Animal Medicine and a specialist clinician in the UCD Veterinary Hospital, a UCD Fellow in Teaching and Academic Development, and member of UCD’s Centre for the Study of Higher Education Kirsten Southard is a Senior Programme Manager in the College of Science, after having worked as a Programme Manager for the newly established BSc Sustainability programme since its inception. She is interested in creating spaces on campus, whether physical or virtual, that allow students and staff to come together to take climate action, most recently in the form of the Greenacre Community Garden and in her role on the UCD Circular project.
Kendra Paleczny is a final-year BSc Sustainability student at University College Dublin, set to pursue a Master’s in Politics and Data Science. She is the co-creator of the UCD Sustainability Toolkit, an interactive resource designed to build climate literacy and empower students to take meaningful action. As the Project Lead of UCD Circular, Kendra leads efforts to reduce textile waste and promote circular economy thinking on campus, creating tangible, student-driven solutions to complex environmental challenges. She also co-founded the UCD Sustainability Society, where she amplifies student voices, fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, and advocates for evidence-based, systems-level change. Passionate about bridging the gap between scientific understanding and real-world impact, Kendra believes that empowering the next generation of environmental leaders is essential to achieving a sustainable future. Ainhoa González is Associate Professor in the School of Geography, University College Dublin (UCD). She is an environmental planner and her research focuses on co-creating and applying geospatial analysis methods and decision-support tools for assessing environmental change and impacts, to inform planning and decision-making towards sustainability. She has recently co-created a SDG dashboard with the Dundrum local community, and another with students and staff at UCD, as well as co-developed a participatory rural spatial planning tool with Roscommon County Council. Ainhoa is the Co-Chair of the UCD Sustainability Core Working Group on Engagement and Impact at UCD. She teaches sustainability, environmental assessment and Geographic Information Systems at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Who Should Attend?
This session is open to everyone with an interest in sustainability in higher education, including educators, researchers, institutional leaders, students, and all those who support teaching and learning
Registration
Registration is open at https://hub.teachingandlearning.ie/esd-spotlight-series/

For enquiries, email mkelly@hea.ie.
About the ESD Spotlight Series
This event is part of the HEA Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Spotlight Series, featuring contributions from 20 higher education institutions across the Island of Ireland. The series highlights innovative approaches to embedding sustainability in teaching, research, and campus practices. Aligned with the Second National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development – ESD to 2030 (DFHERIS/DoE/DCEDIY) and the UNESCO ESD Framework to 2030, it supports collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the integration of Education for Sustainable Development across the higher education sector.

Equitas – EDI in Practice in Higher Education Conference 2025
2025-06-18 08:00 - 2025-06-19 17:00
Maynooth University is delighted to host the Equitas – EDI in Practice in Higher Education Conference 2025. This will take place on the 18th and 19th of June 2025. This event is open to EDI practitioners, academics across all disciplines, researchers, graduate students, managers, administrators and all who are interested in ensuring equality, valuing and celebrating diversity, and promoting inclusion (EDI) in Higher Education.
Sinéad Burke, founder & CEO of Tilting the Lens and a global leader in disability inclusion, will deliver the keynote address at Equitas 2025:
EDI in Practice in Higher Education, 18–19 June 2025, Maynooth University (Iontas Building).
Register by 31st of May to reserve your place
1-day pass (18 or 19 June): €140
2-day pass: €200
Conference dinner (evening 18 June): €40
Book your place now → https://register.oxfordabstracts.com/event/74789
The draft programme is now available here: https://virtual.oxfordabstracts.com/#/e/Equitas_2025/program, here you can also select the parallel session you would like to attend.
Please note there may be some change to this schedule.
Please share this event with colleagues, networks and EDI practitioners who would value the conversation.
We look forward to welcoming you to Maynooth in June!

You can visit https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/edi/edi-calendar/equitas-conference-2025 for more information.

Student Leader Global Summit 2025
2025-06-17 08:00 - 2025-06-19 17:00 | University College Cork, Ireland
The IASAS Student Leader Global Summit is an annual event that provides a global platform to bring student leaders from different parts of the world together to discuss student governance, leadership, mental health and wellbeing, or other topics of shared interest.
Register here: IASAS SLGS University College Cork, Ireland 2025
You can find more information at SLGS Ireland 2025 | IASAS.

2025 International Health Promoting Campuses Conference
2025-06-16 08:00 - 2025-06-19 17:00
In June 2025, the University of Limerick will host the International Health Promoting Campuses (IHPC) Conference, highlighting UL’s leadership in health promotion. This global event will bring together experts and policymakers to explore strategies for healthier campus environments. Aligned with Healthy UL programme and UL’s role in shaping national health initiatives, the conference will showcase UL’s commitment to well-being and sustainability. Hosting the IHPC Conference provides UL with a platform to foster international collaboration and drive meaningful, lasting change in health promotion across educational institutions worldwide.
Further information available here: https://www.2025ihpc.com/ or from the conference general chair catherine.norton@ul.ie
The International Health Promoting Campuses Conference 16th – 19th June 2025 has a limited number of single day registrations and preconference workshops available. Click here for the single day registrations and click here for preconference workshops.

Meitheal Seminars - Gathering international educational experiences: a mixed 'meitheal' approach.
2025-06-16 08:00 - 2025-06-17 17:00
The seminars, hosted by the Centre for Pedagogical Innovation and Development (CPID) are part of our Meitheal series. The word “meitheal” is part of ancient Irish tradition. It describes a workgroup or team that gathers and works collaboratively to support each other through a shared purpose. Culturally signiﬁcant, the meitheal represents shaping and building communities.” The Meitheal series was devised in collaboration with Colleagues in the TUS Graduate School, DKIT and SETU.
Monday, 16th, 2025 Time: 11 am – 1 pm Venue: Moylish Campus
Tuesday, 17th, 2025 Time: 11 am – 1 pm Venue: Athlone Campus

Visiting Professor
Professor Phillip (Phill) Dawson is Co-Director of the Centre for Research in Assessment and Digital Learning (CRADLE) at Deakin University, Australia. His work focuses on improving assessment while addressing integrity challenges and emerging technologies.

Seminar Description
“Where is the line? Re-thinking assessment design for a time of artiﬁcial intelligence”
Artiﬁcial intelligence can now generate outputs that meet the requirements of high-stakes assessments in ﬁelds like computing, health professions, business and engineering. This has sparked concerns about students using AI inappropriately to complete tasks, misrepresenting their abilities. It also raises deeper questions about the sustainability and authenticity of current assessment practices. Students and staff are justiﬁed in asking: where is the line between acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in assessment? This presentation examines how assessment must evolve in response to AI. It draws on the presenter’s work as one of the leaders of Assessment Reform for a Time of Artiﬁcial Intelligence, a major Australian project funded by the national higher education regulator. As AI becomes an ever-present part of professional and academic life, how do we design assessments that both uphold integrity and prepare students for this new reality?

To register go to CPID Events

HEA Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Spotlight Series – Queen's University Belfast
2025-06-13 13:00 - 14:00
About This Event
As part of the Higher Education Authority (HEA) Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Spotlight Series, this session will explore how Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) is integrating ESD across teaching, research, and institutional initiatives and activities, supporting the development of sustainable practices within higher education.
What to Expect

Overview of QUB’s approach to ESD
Case studies on embedding sustainability in teaching, learning and research.
Practical takeaways for leaders, educators, researchers, and those supporting teaching and learning.
Opportunities for Q&A and peer learning.

Speakers
Strategic Overview: Queen’s University Belfast
Natalie Le Seelleur, Climate and Sustainability in the Curriculum Officer, QUB
Designing an Academic Development Programme to Support Embedding ESD in the Curriculum
Dr Alison Calvert, Senior Lecturer, School of Biological Sciences, QUB
Education for Sustainable Development in the Engineering Classroom
Dr Beatrice Smyth, Senior Lecturer, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, QUB
‘A walk on the wild side’: Embedding ESD through Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL)
Dr Niall Majury, Director of Education, School of Natural and Built Environment, QUB

Who Should Attend?
This session is open to everyone with an interest in sustainability in higher education, including educators, researchers, institutional leaders, students, and all those who support teaching and learning
Registration
Registration is open at https://hub.teachingandlearning.ie/esd-spotlight-series/

For enquiries, email mkelly@hea.ie.
About the ESD Spotlight Series
This event is part of the HEA Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Spotlight Series, featuring contributions from 20 higher education institutions across the Island of Ireland. The series highlights innovative approaches to embedding sustainability in teaching, research, and campus practices. Aligned with the Second National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development – ESD to 2030 (DFHERIS/DoE/DCEDIY) and the UNESCO ESD Framework to 2030, it supports collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the integration of Education for Sustainable Development across the higher education sector.

Hope Summit: (Re)Imagining Higher Education
2025-06-13 09:30 - 15:30
University College Cork and Munster Technological University are pleased to present the Hope Summit: (Re)Imagining Higher Education.

Event Details:
This event is an opportunity for those working in Higher Education to collaboratively explore their future landscapes in the context of emerging challenges and opportunities. With a keynote address from Dr Jessica Riddell, author of Hope Circuits: Rewiring Universities and other Systems for Human Flourishing, the event will include a range of powerful voices from across the HE sector.
Focusing on discussions centred on emerging leadership challenges for future-ready institutions, the role of arts and culture in strategic visioning and systems transformation, and emancipatory integration of all key players in the ‘flourishing’ mission of universities, this event is designed to be both provocative and inclusive.
Through panels sessions, lightning talks, and hands-on workshops the day will afford hope-informed, facilitated quality time to network across the sector while hearing from a range of voices and perspectives.
Co-Hosted by:

Anna Santucci University College Cork
Pio Fenton Munster Technological University

Contributors to this event include:

Catherine Cronin Co-Editor of Higher Education for Good: Teaching & Learning Futures
Damien Page Vice Chancellor, Buckingham New University
Jessica Riddell Author and Founder of Hope Circuits Institute
Marese Bermingham Munster Technological University
Paul McSweeney University College Cork
Ross Woods Higher Education Authority

Keynote Speaker: Jessica Riddell
Founder of Hope Circuits Institute and Author of Hope Circuits: Rewiring Universities and other Systems for Human Flourishing. Full Professor of Early Modern Literature in the English Department at Bishop’s University (Quebec, Canada). She holds the Stephen A. Jarislowsky Chair of Undergraduate Teaching Excellence; in this capacity, she focuses on systems-change in higher education that fosters human flourishing; in her research, teaching, leadership, and administration, she participates in a wide range of conversations at the national and international levels about how universities fulfil the social contract to a broader society. https://www.jessicariddell.com
Event Summary:

Date: Friday 13th June 2025
Time: 09:30 AM – 15:30 PM
Venue: Aula Maxima, UCC

Registration:
Places are limited. To secure your spot, please register now!
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/hope-summit-reimagining-higher-education-tickets-1306634471879

Galway Symposium 2025: "Preparing Students for a Challenging World: education for sustainable development and the socio-emotional domain"
2025-06-12 10:00 - 16:30 | University of Galway
We come to Higher Education(HE) with our own unique ways of being, doing, learning and teaching that are usually shaped by our own backgrounds, experiences, and research disciplines. Although the interconnected global challenges facing students highlight the need for us to teach to the socio-emotional learning domain, we are often not equipped to embed the affective dimensions of learning into our teaching practices.
In bringing together experts in the fields of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), student well-being, and sustainability, this conference opens a space for learning and discussion on the socio-emotional domain and the competencies necessary for an inclusive and empowered future for both students and staff in Higher Education.
We will begin the day with two keynote speakers: Dr. Paul Vare, University of Gloucestershire, Chair of National Association for Environmental Education, UK and Professor Bridgette Bewick, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, UK. The keynote addresses will be followed by workshops facilitated by University of Galway staff and visiting academics on the themes of futures thinking and affect, competence development, and pedagogies of care.
Location: University of Galway, Áras Moyola
Date: 12 June 2025 Time:10AM-4.30PM, registration opens at 9.30AM
Facilitated by: The Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT)
Registration Link: https://lnkd.in/gWyB4B-3

ICT4S 2025
2025-06-09 - 2025-06-13
The international ICT4S conference brings together leading researchers in ICT for Sustainability with government and industry representatives with an interest in using, analysing, designing and deploying ICT for environmental and social sustainability. The conference will create discussion and movement towards a fundamental change in ICT systems among researchers, focusing on ICT effects on sustainability and development of sustainable ICT systems or applications.
For more information, please visit About the Conference – ICT4S 2025.
For more details or to give suggestions contact the conference general chair damian.dalton@ucd.ie.

HEA Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Spotlight Series – Institute of Art, Design and Technology
2025-05-30 13:00 - 14:00
About This Event
As part of the Higher Education Authority (HEA) Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Spotlight Series, this session will explore how Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT) is integrating ESD across teaching, research, and institutional initiatives and activities, supporting the development of sustainable practices within higher education.
What to Expect

Overview of IADT’s approach to ESD
Case studies on embedding sustainability in teaching, learning and research.
Practical takeaways for leaders, educators, researchers, and those supporting teaching and learning.
Opportunities for Q&A and peer learning.

Speakers
Strategic Overview & IADT Roadmap
Rónán O Muirthile, Head of Faculty & Climate Champion, IADT The Good Guide to Creative Practice
Heitor Laforga de Araujo Monterio, Interdisciplinary designer and researcher, IADT alumnus and one of the creators of The Good Guide SDG Introduction for Students and Curriculum Support for Staff
Louise Glynn, Lecturer in Computing, IADT
Cross-Faculty Teaching, Campus Initiatives, and Community Collaboration
Clyde Doyle, Lecturer in Design + Visual Arts, IADT Media and Climate Change, & Campus Permeability
Dr Cormac Deane, Lecturer in Film and Media,Department of Humanities, IADT

Who Should Attend?
This session is open to everyone with an interest in sustainability in higher education, including educators, researchers, institutional leaders, students, and all those who support teaching and learning
Registration
Registration is open at https://hub.teachingandlearning.ie/esd-spotlight-series/

For enquiries, email mkelly@hea.ie.
About the ESD Spotlight Series
This event is part of the HEA Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Spotlight Series, featuring contributions from 20 higher education institutions across the Island of Ireland. The series highlights innovative approaches to embedding sustainability in teaching, research, and campus practices. Aligned with the Second National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development – ESD to 2030 (DFHERIS/DoE/DCEDIY) and the UNESCO ESD Framework to 2030, it supports collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the integration of Education for Sustainable Development across the higher education sector.

ILTA EdTech Conference 2025
2025-05-29 - 2025-05-30
ILTA organises an annual EdTech national conference with partner educational institutions across Ireland. Each year, EdTech is held in a different Irish Higher Education Institution. Our upcoming EdTech 2025 conference event will be held in Waterford in the South East Technological University in May 2025. Learn more

MoodleMunch Webinar 04
2025-05-27 13:00 - 14:00
Webinar 04

Tuesday 27 May 2025, 13:00-14:00 (Dublin/Europe)

The Law Society of Ireland will share an overview of their Moodle-based learning technology ecosystem and how it caters for the needs of professional legal education (DigCompEdu competence area 3 ‘Teaching and learning’).

In this webinar, Dublin City University (DCU) and the Law Society of Ireland (LSI) will deliver presentations:

DCU will share their experiences and insights of using the Moodle Lesson activity to provide personalised learning for large cohorts of students (DigCompEdu competence 5.4 ‘Differentiation and personalisation’)
LSI will share an overview of their Moodle-based learning technology ecosystem and how it caters for the needs of professional legal education (DigCompEdu competence area 3 ‘Teaching and learning’).

Register to attend this webinar on Zoom

HEA Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Spotlight Series – National College of Art and Design
2025-05-23 13:00 - 14:00
About This Event
As part of the Higher Education Authority (HEA) Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Spotlight Series, this session will explore how National College of Art and Design (NCAD) is integrating ESD across teaching, research, and institutional initiatives and activities, supporting the development of sustainable practices within higher education.
What to Expect

Overview of NCAD’s approach to ESD
Case studies on embedding sustainability in teaching, learning and research.
Practical takeaways for leaders, educators, researchers, and those supporting teaching and learning.
Opportunities for Q&A and peer learning.

Speakers
Creative Boardroom: Collaborate 4 Climate
Louise Allen, Director, Director of the Creative Futures Academy
Louise is the Director of the Creative Futures Academy, a partnership between the National College of Art & Design (NCAD), Institute of Art, Design + Technology (IADT) and University College Dublin (UCD) that provides modular credited programmes to creative professionals looking to develop their skills. She is leading on the development and delivery of Creative Boardroom: Collaborate4Climate, an initiative funded by Creative Ireland’s Climate Action Fund. NCAD Staff Circular Economy Sandpit
Enda O’Dowd, Lecturer & Programme Coordinator – MSc, Medical Device Design
Enda O’Dowd is a lecturer in Product Design and joint course coordinator of the MSc Medical Device Design at NCAD. With a background in Materials Science Enda is a strong advocate for studio education and the experiential learning it enables. He believes that design led projects allow students to apply science and technology in an iterative process of analysis and synthesis. This allows for projects to be creative and human centred but also applies the scientific and engineering rigour necessary for the design of medical devices. He is keenly interested in the design of new products, services and business models for the complex ecosystems found in both medical care and the circular economy.

Who Should Attend?
This session is open to everyone with an interest in sustainability in higher education, including educators, researchers, institutional leaders, students, and all those who support teaching and learning
Registration
Registration is open at https://hub.teachingandlearning.ie/esd-spotlight-series/

For enquiries, email mkelly@hea.ie.
About the ESD Spotlight Series
This event is part of the HEA Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Spotlight Series, featuring contributions from 20 higher education institutions across the Island of Ireland. The series highlights innovative approaches to embedding sustainability in teaching, research, and campus practices. Aligned with the Second National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development – ESD to 2030 (DFHERIS/DoE/DCEDIY) and the UNESCO ESD Framework to 2030, it supports collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the integration of Education for Sustainable Development across the higher education sector.

Substance Use in Higher Education: Current trends and Healthy Campus responses
2025-05-22 11:30 - 13:00
We wanted to let you know that we are hosting a Healthy Campus Knowledge Exchange Event ‘Substance Use in Higher Education: Current trends and Healthy Campus responses’ on Thursday 22nd May, 11:30am – 1.00pm online, in collaboration with University of Limerick, University College Cork and HSE.

You can register for the event here. Please share with colleagues or networks you think might be interested.

Exploring Students as Partners in Peer Mentoring
2025-05-19 14:00 - 17:00 | Online
To celebrate National Volunteering Week, Student Volunteer Ireland are hosting an online Research webinar open to all!
with Dr Christina Seery, UCD
Monday 19th May 2.00pm

To register for the Teams Link:
https://www.studentvolunteer.ie/news/research-webinar-student-mentoring
Please share this event with your colleagues widely, all welcome!

HEA Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Spotlight Series – Munster Technological University
2025-05-16 13:00 - 14:00
About This Event
As part of the Higher Education Authority (HEA) Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Spotlight Series, this session will explore how Munster Technological University (MTU) is integrating ESD across teaching, research, and institutional initiatives and activities, supporting the development of sustainable practices within higher education.
What to Expect

Overview of MTU’s approach to ESD
Case studies on embedding sustainability in teaching, learning and research.
Practical takeaways for leaders, educators, researchers, and those supporting teaching and learning.
Opportunities for Q&A and peer learning.

Speakers
A University Wide Approach for an Inclusive Curriculum for a Sustainable Future
Dr Niamh Power, Lecturer in Civil, Structural & Environmental Engineering, MTU and Chairperson of the Environmental Science association of Ireland
Dr Niamh Power is the current Chairperson of the Environmental Science Association of Ireland. She is a Lecturer and Researcher, in Munster Technological University, Ireland. She received an honours degree in Civil & Structural Engineering coming top of her class, before pursuing her PhD in the area of waste management, anaerobic digestion and biogas as a transport fuel. Her interests focus on the area of sustainability with particular expertise in waste management, anaerobic digestion, renewable energy from wastes & crops, nutrient recycling, nutrient recover from wastewater, life cycle analysis and policies & drivers for change and the circular economy. She is involved in a number of large national and EU research projects on the circular economy and sustainability. Dr. Power also worked on the N-TUTORR project as the sustainability lead for MTU and looked at embedding education for sustainable development within higher education. She led out on the Universities curriculum framework ‘An Inclusive Curriculum for a Sustainable Future’. CARES: Curriculum Advancements & Rapid Embedding of Sustainability
Maria Cullinane, Programme Coordinator for Sustainable Energy Engineering at MTU
Maria is a Mechanical Engineer and Programme Coordinator for Sustainable Energy Engineering at Munster Technological University (MTU), Cork, and a lecturer in the Department of Process, Energy & Transport Engineering. She is passionate about embedding sustainability, global citizenship, and the UN SDGs into engineering education. Her work spans curriculum development, staff and student engagement, and national and institutional initiatives aimed at transforming higher education for a more just, inclusive, and sustainable future. Dr Aisling O’Gorman, Programme Coordinator & Lecturer Chemical & Biopharmaceutical Engineering, MTU
Aisling is a chemical engineer and is the Programme Coordinator for the B. Eng.(Hons) degree in Chemical & Biopharmaceutical Engineering in MTU. She teaches across all four years of the degree programme and is interested in integrating sustainability, innovation, and entrepreneurship into the engineering curriculum. She has completed projects enhancing module content, redesigning assessment methods, and evolving programme design in collaboration with student partners. She is currently working with a student-staff team on a Learning Enhancement Project in MTU focused on curriculum advancements and the rapid embedding of sustainability (CARES). ‘A Healthy MTU‘: Leveraging universities as settings for health, wellbeing, and sustainable development.
Dr Andrea Bickerdike, Lecturer in Health & Wellbeing and Director of ‘A Healthy MTU‘
Dr Andrea Bickerdike is a Lecturer in Health & Wellbeing at Munster Technological University (MTU), Co-Director of ‘A Healthy MTU‘ (MTU‘s designated Healthy Campus programme), Principal Investigator within the HEX-SPO (‘Health, Exercise & Sport Sciences’) Research Group, and MTU Director of an interinstitutional MSc programme in Health and Wellbeing (delivered jointly the College of Medicine & Health at UCC and Dept. of Sport, Leisure & Childhood Studies at MTU). Andrea’s research interests encompass the implementation and evaluation of health promotion interventions, measurement/monitoring of population health and wellbeing indicators, and leveraging the unique potential of universities as settings for health, wellbeing, and sustainable development. Of note, she participated in the early co-creation process of what would later evolve into the HEA ‘Healthy Campus’ Charter, and currently sits on the HEA Student and Staff Health and Wellbeing Advisory Group. A Design Thinking approach to implementing Sustainability Thinking in teaching practice
Lisa Zimmermann, Assistant Lecturer in Visual Communications at MTU
Lisa Zimmermann is an Assistant Lecturer in Visual Communications at MTU. She has researched Sustainability in Design through three Masters theses–using the lenses of Design Practice, Environmental Science, and Education. Her current PhD research at UCC explores how Sustainability Thinking can be taught and implemented effectively in the Irish Design industry.

Who Should Attend?
This session is open to everyone with an interest in sustainability in higher education, including educators, researchers, institutional leaders, students, and all those who support teaching and learning
Registration
Registration is open at https://hub.teachingandlearning.ie/esd-spotlight-series/

For enquiries, email mkelly@hea.ie.
About the ESD Spotlight Series
This event is part of the HEA Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Spotlight Series, featuring contributions from 20 higher education institutions across the Island of Ireland. The series highlights innovative approaches to embedding sustainability in teaching, research, and campus practices. Aligned with the Second National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development – ESD to 2030 (DFHERIS/DoE/DCEDIY) and the UNESCO ESD Framework to 2030, it supports collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the integration of Education for Sustainable Development across the higher education sector.

'Shaping the Future of Immersive Technologies in Education': a one-day symposium on 14th May 2025 in TUS Athlone
2025-05-14 | Technological University of the Shannon, Tipperary, Ireland
The TUS Centre for Pedagogical Innovation and Development (CPID), together with colleagues from South East Technological University, University College Dublin, Dunboyne College of Further Education, Munster Technological University and Louth and Meath Education and Training Board, are hosting a one-day symposium on May 14th, 2025, in TUS Athlone on ‘Shaping the Future of Immersive Technologies in Education and Training’, sponsored, in part by ReSHAPE and SATLE.
If you live and/or work in the Midlands Region (Laois, Offaly, Longford and Westmeath) ReSHAPE has offered to fund your place at the symposium. If you are eligible, please fill out this short ReSHAPE Pre-Registration Form to receive a voucher code. You can use this to register at Shaping the Future of Immersive Technologies in Education and Training – TUS
The event hopes to bring together researchers, learner practitioners, students and industry partners to explore the current and future potential of extended reality (XR) applications within an education and training context.
The event also hosts a STUDENT COMPETITION, and we invite you to support final year students to enter their work in one of three categories:

Best social impact project
Best technical innovation project
Best aesthetic production project

To submit an extract and for more information on the student competition please go to CPID Events – TUS
Closing date is April 30th.
For queries please email geraldine.mcdermott@tus.ie .

HEA ESD and Academic Quality Workshop
2025-05-12 - 2025-05-13
This workshop, hosted by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and facilitated by Dr Alex Ryan, supports Irish higher education institutions in strategically implementing high-quality Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The workshop aligns directly with the Government of Ireland’s ESD to 2030 Strategy and the HEA’s ESD programme objectives, specifically:

Advancing Policy
Training and Capacity-Building of Educators

The programme addresses key strategic aspects of ESD, promoting best practices around quality assurance, transparency, and effective responses to student demand for sustainability-focused education.
Key topics include

Strategic ESD development – building professional capacity to develop and implement effective multi-stakeholder, cross-portfolio curriculum change strategies, in alignment with related education strategy priorities (ESD to 2030; CJUU network reports, 2024)
Good practice – addressing new concerns around transparency and academic quality principles in ESD, to ensure relevance and efficacy of the offer (UNECE ESD strategy priority ‘ESD and Quality Education’; UK QAA funded projects ESD and Quality, 2023)
Learner needs – delivering curricula that respond to consistent student demand for ESD in all courses (SOS-UK 2024), applicant decision-making in sustainability (QS survey 2024) and graduate career expectations in sustainability and industry (Deloitte 2024)

Intended Outcomes

Increased knowledge of best practice in ESD progress assessment and quality criteria
Understanding how student expectations in ESD can be embedded in policy and CPD
Improved ESD change leadership capability relevant to institutional contexts and needs
Action planning with participants to progress local institutional ESD delivery plans
Collaborative capacity building using expertise across the national ESD leads network

Registration:
This event is by invitation-only. For further information, please contact admin@teachingandlearning.ie
Lead Facilitator
Dr Alex Ryan is Director at Learning Energy Education for Sustainability. An experienced, award-winning higher education sustainability director and certified coach, Alex has a strong track record in academic and operational sustainability. Specialising in ESD, she has led significant curriculum change and large-scale funded R&D projects, including the UK QAA-funded ‘Anti-Greenwash Education’ project (2022-23). A UK National Teaching Fellow (2017), Alex is recognised for significant impact in ESD at institutional and sector levels and authored a REF2021 impact case study on embedding ESD into higher education curricula. She is an invited expert on QAA/Advance HE groups focusing on UK national ESD guidance and subject benchmark integration.
Contributors
Dr Amanda Platt (PhD, MSc, BSc (Hons), PgCert) is a Senior Lecturer in Higher Education Practice at Ulster University, UU Education for Sustainable Development Lead and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. In 2018, Amanda initiated an institution-wide and multi-faceted approach to explicitly embed Education for Sustainable Development in academic quality processes and across all discipline curricula, using the globally recognised UN Sustainable Development Goals. As Chair of the UU Responsible Futures Working Group (2023-), Amanda led Ulster University’s successful submission for SOS-UK Responsible Futures Accreditation, earned in January 2025 following a student-led audit. Dr Platt is also Course Director of the PgCert in Higher Education Practice (PgCHEP) and in 2020 explicitly embedded ESD in the curricula of this Advance HE accredited mandatory programme (Descriptor 2, PSF, 2023), which is undertaken by new Ulster educators.
Colette Murphy is Senior Lecturer and Curriculum Consultant in Higher Education Practice at Ulster University. In a range of diverse academic and academic-related roles spanning 20 years at Ulster University, Colette has gained significant experience in leading and co-leading partnerships and the co-production of Institutional, National and International curriculum change projects. Areas of specialism include Curriculum Design, Service Design, Future Skills and cross-cutting themes of ESD and wellbeing. She is co-founder and lead developer on Ulster’s Integrated Curriculum Design framework (ICDF) and is currently leading the service design of an institutional curriculum approval system. Colette has BSc and a MSc degree and a PGCert in Higher Education Practice. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA).

HEA Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Spotlight Series – Trinity College Dublin
2025-05-09 13:00 - 14:00
About This Event
As part of the Higher Education Authority (HEA) Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Spotlight Series, this session will explore how Trinity College Dublin (TCD) is integrating ESD across teaching, research, and institutional initiatives and activities, supporting the development of sustainable practices within higher education.
What to Expect

Overview of TCD’s approach to ESD
Case studies on embedding sustainability in teaching, learning and research.
Practical takeaways for leaders, educators, researchers, and those supporting teaching and learning.
Opportunities for Q&A and peer learning.

Speakers
A Framework to Support Curriculum Design for ESD – facilitating the embedding of ESD into the Trinity Curriculum
Dr Caitríona Ní Shé, Academic Developer, Centre for Academic Practice
Caitríona’s role in Academic Practice involves the development and delivery of evidence based professional development for academic staff within Trinity, and contributing to funded projects on educational developments, such as Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Caitríona has worked in higher education across a variety of roles since 2008. Her most recent prior role was as an Education Developer for Professional Development in the National Forum, she managed and evaluated the roll out of the National Forum’s suite of digitally badged professional development courses and supported the upgrading of the Open Courses platform. Prior to this, Caitríona designed, developed and implemented a short course for online educators as part of the #openteach project, led by DCU. In 2021 Caitríona completed her PhD on the use of technology-enhanced resources to support formative assessment in undergraduate Mathematics. Her current work is focused on curriculum design, encompassing aspects such as sustainability in the curriculum. Enacting Education for Sustainable Development in Trinity Business School
Dr Cicely Roche and Dr Norah Campbell
Dr Cicely Roche, Associate Professor in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Fellow in Education for Sustainable Development
Cicely’s key expertise is the design of curriculum to drive development of moral reasoning competencies, i.e. abilities underpinning decision-making through ambiguity in an ethically defensible manner. Her research also explores professional identity formation, ePortfolio for experiential learning, and developmental approaches to curriculum design in pharmacy-specific interprofessional and/or cross-institutional contexts. Over the past two years, Cicely has been part of the ESD team at Trinity, working on initiatives to support the University’s transition to achieve its strategic vision for ESD. Her role with Academic Practice addresses staff development in Reflection and Programme-focused approaches to assessment.
Dr Norah Campbell, Associate Professor, Trinity Business School
Norah is a lecturer in critical marketing. Her teaching is in management theory, and science and technology studies. Her research interests are in nano-bio-info-cogno markets, climate change, and the food industry. This work has been published in both science journals (Nature Nanotechnology) and social science journals (Science, Technology and Human Values). A Roadmap to Inform and Track Trinity’s ESD Journey
Dr John Gallagher, Associate Professor, Department of Civil, Structural & Environmental Engineering
John is an Associate Professor in Environmental Systems Modelling in the School of Engineering, Director of TrinityHaus, a Trinity Research Centre, and Course Director for the new MSc in Climate Adaptation Engineering. In his 15 years as a researcher, sustainability has been central to his work, from air pollution and nature-based solutions to low-carbon and resource-efficient engineering systems, his teaching has reflected an approach to empower students with the knowledge and competencies to tackle the real-world challenges facing this planet. Over the past two years, John has been part of the ESD team at Trinity, working on initiatives to support the University’s transition to achieve its strategic vision for ESD. One such task is to benchmark current programmes, to provide an understanding of current performance, and direction for the future. Music and Climate: A Case Study in Ecomusicological Pedagogy
Dr Jonathan Hodgers, Lecturer, Department of Music, School of Creative Arts
Jonathan is a lecturer specialising in 20th-century music, with a particular emphasis on popular and vernacular traditions, as well as music’s impact on the environment. He earned his PhD in Music from Trinity College Dublin in 2014, where his dissertation, Dylan in Cinema, explored Bob Dylan’s influence on film. His monograph, Bob Dylan on Film: The Intersection of Music and Visuals, was published by Routledge in 2024. He is an editorial board member of the biannual journal The Dylan Review. In addition to his work on Dylan, he has also contributed to research on student data as a strategic resource and graduate employability. Jonathan is currently a Teaching Fellow in the Department of Music and was recently seconded to develop Trinity’s Education for Sustainable Development programme.

Who Should Attend?
This session is open to everyone with an interest in sustainability in higher education, including educators, researchers, institutional leaders, students, and all those who support teaching and learning
Registration
Registration is open at https://hub.teachingandlearning.ie/esd-spotlight-series/

For enquiries, email mkelly@hea.ie.
About the ESD Spotlight Series
This event is part of the HEA Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Spotlight Series, featuring contributions from 20 higher education institutions across the Island of Ireland. The series highlights innovative approaches to embedding sustainability in teaching, research, and campus practices. Aligned with the Second National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development – ESD to 2030 (DFHERIS/DoE/DCEDIY) and the UNESCO ESD Framework to 2030, it supports collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the integration of Education for Sustainable Development across the higher education sector.

Embracing Pedagogical Partnership: What Kind of Mindset, Courage, and Practices Are Necessary?
2025-05-08 09:30 - 15:30

UCD Teaching and Learning Symposium 2025. Innovative Futures: Engaging Learners
2025-05-07 09:30 - 13:30
UCD are hosting their Teaching and Learning Symposium on Wednesday 7 May 2025 in the PwC Theatre, UCD Quinn School of Business,
This year’s Symposium, on the theme of “Innovative Futures: Engaging Learners” will feature renowned international keynote speaker Professor Punya Mishra of Arizona State University.
“Innovative Futures: Engaging Learners” is an occasion for us to imagine the future of learning at UCD. It will capture both the opportunities and challenges the University faces as we adapt to the changing needs of society and innovate our educational response to prepare students for their futures in a digital world.
How can we…?

Design learning that engages and empowers students
Support students to engage thoughtfully, ethically and critically with generative AI to support their learning and skills development
Build on the success of UCD’s distinctive educational experience
Enable and sustain innovation in teaching, learning and assessment practice

The Symposium will also feature projects led by UCD colleagues addressing the themes of Academic Integrity and Ethical Practice, Online Learning and Assessment, and Education for Sustainable Development. These projects were supported through SATLE – the Strategic Alignment of Teaching and Learning Enhancement Funding in Higher Education – administered by the Higher Education Authority’s National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning.
All Welcome: The audience for this event are higher education staff and students interested in teaching and learning, and the future of higher education.
» Book your place today!
For more information, visit the UCD Teaching & Learning website

Call for symposium contributions "The 9-5 student? Rethinking the concept of studenthood"
2025-05-05
This symposium will take place on Friday, 23 May at MTU’s Bishopstown campus. We invite proposals for 20-minute presentations engaging with any of thematic strands outlined below.
Proposals should be of approximately 250 words, and can be submitted via our submission form until Monday, 5 May.
We also very much welcome interested colleagues to register as attendees by Thursday, 15 May.
Symposium outline:
Both anecdote and recent media comment would suggest that the nature and practice of studenthood is evolving rapidly. With students increasingly likely to devote significant time to employment and less than academics might envision to study and related tasks, the time is apt for academics and for institutions to rethink the design and practice of Higher Education learning. This symposium aims to investigate the contextual factors that are actively reshaping the practice of studenthood, with a view to exploring conceptual gaps between academics’ and students’ expectations of its enactment. We are particularly interested in socio-cultural and other situational factors influencing the changing nature and experience of studenthood.
Relevant themes can include but are not limited to:
• individualisation and personalisation;
• the influence of ed tech;
• proprietary AI, especially GenAI;
• time as organising principle;
• learner incentives and rationales for embarking on HE study;
• learner incentives and rationales for attending and engaging post-enrolment;
• commuting, cost of living, and socio-economic factors;
• access and progression;
• political economy of HE;
• cultural, socio-cultural and (trans-)media(l) climate;
• space and geographies of HE;
• sustainability in and of HE study; and
• any other relevant contextual influence on the nature and practice of
studenthood today.
The symposium organisers, Marian Hurley and Deirdre Casey, welcome queries, and can be contacted at Marian.Hurley@mtu.ie and/or MarieD.Casey@mtu.ie.
This symposium is part of the project “Space + [time x practices] = engagement?”, funded through SATLE – the Strategic Alignment of Teaching and Learning Enhancement Funding in Higher Education – by the Higher Education Authority’s National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.

Toolkits launch
2025-04-30 12:30 - 13:30
The Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences is pleased to invite you to attend the launch of two innovative Social Justice Pedagogy toolkits for Teacher Educators and Preservice Teachers. One of them being an outcome from one SATLE project.

Date: Wednesday, April 30 12h30 – 13h15
Venue: P1007 (PESS Building, University of Limerick)

The toolkits have been designed as resources to support teacher educators, teachers in post-primary schools and preservice teachers willing to embrace social justice pedagogies. Testimonials, case studies, visual prompts, and related activities are some of the elements that the toolkits include, to address social justice matters such as genderism, sexism, ableism and classism, as they relate to physical education and the wider context.
The projects were funded by Research Ireland through the New Foundations scheme (Justice Ed) and funded by the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education and the Higher Education Authority (SATLE). The Co-PIs of the SATLE project are Dr Carmen Barquero-Ruiz and Dr Antonio Calderón. The Co-PIs of the Justice Ed project are Prof Elaine Murtagh and Dr Antonio Calderón. The Justice Ed toolkit was designed by members of the Sport Pedagogy Research group in collaboration with researchers and pre-services teachers from Ulster University, Deakin University, University of Melbourne, Kent State University and the Development Studies Association of Ireland.

HEA Health and Wellbeing Seminar
2025-04-28 10:00 - 14:30 | TU Dublin, St Laurence’s Church
We are delighted to invite you to the 2025 HEA Health and Wellbeing Seminar on Monday 28th April 10am – approx. 2:30pm to be held in St Laurence’s Church, Technological University Dublin.

The event will include an update on the review of the National Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Framework, panel discussion on wellbeing in the curriculum and presentations on studentsurvey.ie, the International Health Promoting Campuses Conference and E-SHIELD.

Registration
We would be grateful if you could confirm your attendance using the registration form here.

Healthy Campus Case Studies
We have put a call out to institutions for Healthy Campus case studies. Please get in contact with your institutions healthy campus coordinator if you wish to submit a case study.
