Event information

Hope Circuits: Rewiring Universities for Human Flourishing

Wednesday 21st May 2025, 16:00-17:00 (BST)

Venue – Online.

Registration - Sign up for this event on the Eventbrite page. 

 

About the event

This event is part of the School of Education's Bristol Conversations in Education research seminar series. These seminars are free and open to the public.

Host: Language, Literacies and Education Network

Speaker: Dr Jessica Ridell (Full Professor of Early Modern Literature at Bishop's University)

Join us for a book launch with Dr. Jessica Riddell, a leading expert in higher education from Bishop’s University, Quebec. Dr. Riddell will present her latest book, “Hope Circuits: Rewiring Universities and Other Organizations for Human Flourishing.” This book provides practical solutions to the challenges universities face today, covering topics like teaching, leadership, research, and funding. 

During the event, Dr. Riddell will share insights from “Hope Circuits” and lead a discussion on rethinking higher education systems for the better. This is a valuable opportunity to learn from Dr. Riddell’s expertise and join the conversation about the future of higher education. Don’t miss out! Register below to reserve your spot. 

Abstract

Universities are anchors of hope in our communities. As we grapple with unprecedented pressures—from the climate crisis to geopolitical instability, political polarization, and other crises—hope is more essential than ever. Hope is not just an abstract ideal but a mindset we can cultivate and deploy within our institutions and communities. As educators, staff, and leaders in the academy, we are wired to foster hope: to teach it, share it, and collectively imagine a better future. Yet universities, as complex organizations with strong social missions, are often slow to change and hesitant to innovate. 

This talk will outline ten conceptual tools to “rewire” our systems with hope circuits, equipping us to better fulfill our mandate at a time when human and ecological flourishing are increasingly endangered. By focusing on the areas of learning, teaching, and leadership, this session will offer actionable strategies to help build hopeful systems for individual and community flourishing. Through an interactive approach, we’ll connect across disciplines, and career stages, building on shared best practices in teaching and learning to create sustainable and hopeful academic spaces. 

Dr. Jessica Riddell is a Full Professor of Early Modern Literature at Bishop’s University and holds the Stephen A. Jarislowsky Chair of Undergraduate Teaching Excellence. As founder of the Hope Circuits Institute (HCI), she drives systems-change in higher education, focusing on governance, leadership, and student success. In a landscape rife with indictments of broken systems, her work invites people across the post-secondary ecosystem to co-create blueprints for meaningful rewiring that centers justice, equity, and access. Her 2024 book, Hope Circuits: Rewiring Universities and Other Organizations for Human Flourishing (McGill-Queen's Press), offers a roadmap for this transformation. A recognized leader, scholar, and educator, she serves on multiple boards and has received numerous awards and grants for teaching and leadership, including the 3M National Teaching Fellowship (Canada's highest recognition of educational leadership), the D2L Innovation Award (the highest recognition of innovation in partnerships), and the Forces Avenir award (Quebec's highest recognition of teaching excellence in higher education).