Seminar Programme
Current seminar programme
The Center for Comparative and International Research in Education (CIRE) and the ESSRG run regular termly seminars as part of Bristol Conversations in Education research seminar series
More events coming soon!
Recent seminars
2024/2025
06 November - Overcoming the barriers to inclusive education in Papua New Guinea
- Guy Le Fanu (Honorary Research Fellow, School of Education, University of Bristol)
- Mevelyn Kawane (Lecturer in Special and Inclusive Education, Balob Teachers’ College, Papua New Guinea)
- Siân Tesni (Independent Consultant)
2023/2024
04 July 2024 - UNESCO Day at the School of Education
- Voices and Priorities from the Caribbean - Dame Pearlette Louisy (former Governor General, St Lucia)
- Maldivian Perspectives on Education and Research on Sustainable Development and Environmental Uncertainty - Aminath Shiyama and Aminath Muna (Maldives National University and ESSRG)
- Climate Change, Indigenous Knowledge and the Transformation of Research in Oceania - Rosiana Lagi (The University of the South Pacific)
- Concluding Remarks: Michael Crossley, Terra Sprague and Keith Holmes
The ESSRG contributed to the UNESCO Chair Day held in the School of Education on Thursday 4th July 2024 with three linked presentations on the theme of Transforming Knowledge and Research at the Sharp End of SIDS.
In session one, Dame Pearlette Louisy (a founding ESSRG member and Former Head of State and Governor General for Saint Lucia in the Caribbean) spoke on ‘Transforming Knowledge and Research for Just and Sustainable Futures; A View from the Caribbean and Saint Lucia’.
Aminath Shiyama and Aminath Muna, both speaking from The Maldives, discussed ways in which policy and their own research in this Indian Ocean nation is pioneering work on education, environmental uncertainty and climate change.
Building upon that theme Rosi Lagi, concluded our sessions with reflections upon her work on the potential of indigenous knowledge for higher education, and contextually sensitive research across the social sciences and humanities in Oceania and beyond. Her concluding poem, written by Konai Helu Thaman, deserves a wide international audience.
Closing comments linked to UNESCO priorities were made by Keith Holmes, Research Coordinator for the UNITWIN / UNESCO Chairs Programme in the Future of Learning and Innovation Division, UNESCO, Paris.
ESSRG members and friends worldwide are encouraged to dip in to this record of our contributions to the UNESCO Day and to share these links where appropriate.
ESSRG Presentation for UNESCO Day at the School of Education (Video)
UNESCO Day successfully launched the UNESCO Chair on Transforming Knowledge and Research for Just and Sustainable Futures at the School of Education, University of Bristol. The day showcased the work of the Chair programme and team and highlighted the work of UNESCO in the City of Bristol and nationally. The event is jointly sponsored by the Centre for International and Comparative Education (CIRE) and Bristol Conversations in Education.
26 June 2024 - Book Launch for "Higher Education in Small Islands: Challenging the Geographies of Centrality and Remoteness"
- Rosie Alexander (University of the West of Scotland)
- Holly Henderson (Fircroft College of Adult Education)
- Agustian Sutrisno (Atma Jaya Catholic University, Jakarta)
- Sargam Goundar (University of Otago, New Zealand)
- Kim Andreas Kessler (University of Otago, New Zealand)
07 February 2024 - Multi-stakeholder Initiatives: Portuguese-speaking African Small State
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Dr Rui da Silva (Center for African Studies, University of Porto)
07 November 2023 - Higher Education in the Islands of Oceania
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Dr Seu’ula Johansson Fua (Director of the USP Institute of Education in Tonga)
20 September 2023 - Our World Our Futures
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Dr Claire Lee (Research Fellow for the Children and Young People RIKE (Research, Innovation and Knowledge Exchange) Network, Oxford Brookes University)
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Dr Aminath Shiyama (Quality Assurance Controller, The Maldives National University)
2022/2023
25 January - Education in the British Overseas Territories: Policy and Practice
Richard Georges (President of the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College, British Virgin Islands), Marie Horton (Director of Education in the Falkland Islands Government), Jade Repetto (Tristan da Cunha)
Education in the British Overseas Territories: Policy and Practice (Video, automatic transcript, chat)
- The Commonwealth, Climate and Energy Policy: Where do we stand after COP27? (Video, automatic transcript and chat
- (Powerpoint presentation to be uploaded)
- Video below, as mentioned in the recording: Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, makes a speech at the Opening of the #COP27 World Leaders Summit of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27)
- Video below, intended to be shown as part of the seminar: A video from the Commonwealth Foundation showing a recording of youth voices at COP27.
After 30 years of advocacy from small island nations, and over 40 hours of negotiations at this COP — world leaders united to set up a Loss and Damage Fund.
Ineza and Eva were part of a cohort of negotiators sent to COP27 from the Loss and Damage Collaboration, supported in part by the Commonwealth Foundation.
Watch the reaction of these young negotiators to this watershed moment and their hopes and fears for the future (Video, Twitter)
2021/2022
2020/2021
Previous small states events
Day Conference and Research Planning Workshop in association with the School of Education, University of Bristol Cabot Institute and Sazani Associates
Living at the Sharp End of Environmental Uncertainty in Small Island States
17 & 18 July 2014
Small island states conference report
Day conference on Educational Policies and Priorities in Commonwealth Small States
25 October, 2010
12:00 - 16:30, Berkeley Conference Suite (410), Graduate School of Education, 35 Berkeley Square
The Research Centre for International and Comparative Studies (ICS) is hosted a day conference in conjunction with the Council for Education in the Commonwealth (CEC) about educational policies and priorities in Commonwealth small states.
Speakers included:
- Professor Michael Crossley
- Steve Packer
- Terra Sprague
They presented findings from a recent research project on educational policies and priorities in Commonwealth small states to be published in 2010 by the Commonwealth Secretariat.
Guests of Honour included the High Commissioners of Tonga and Namibia as well as representatives from the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Council for Education in the Commonwealth.
The event also celebrated Commonwealth decadal anniversaries of four small states:
- Namibia
- Samoa
- Tonga
- Vanuatu
Commonwealth scholars from small states responded to the research findings.
For more details, please see the 25th October informational flyer (PDF, 136kB).
Note: some of the documents on this page are in PDF format. In order to view a PDF you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader