SEDA warmly invites you to a free webinar on Friday 23rd October 2020 from 1400 – 1515 hours GMT

Decolonising the curriculum: why the concept requires a wider conversation and how do educational developers bring about effective change?

This is the third in an occasional series of free SEDA webinars where we aim to stimulate discussion and collaboration around key issues and challenges facing educational development.

Our motivation in running this event is to allow us to focus on the ways that staff in educational development roles can engage with broadening the debate on decolonising the curriculum. A wider conversation include a consideration of anti-racism, whiteness and allyship with the intention of to improve practice across the sector

To support us in doing so we have invited 4 contributors to form a panel so they might identify what they consider to be the major challenges and priorities, and how we can make a practical, meaningful and sustainable contribution.

Each panellist will have 5-7 minutes to present their views to allow for plenty of discussion and questions from those attending.

Please note that the sessions will be recorded and available through the SEDA website shortly after the event.

Our contributors are:

Dr. Jason Arday is an Associate Professor in Sociology at Durham University in the Department of Sociology. He is a Visiting Research Fellow at The Ohio State University in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, an Adjunct Professor at Nelson Mandela University in the Centre for Critical Studies in Higher Education Transformation and a Trustee of the Runnymede Trust, the UK’s leading Race Equality Thinktank. Jason is also a Trustee of the British Sociological Association (BSA) and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA). He sits on the Centre for Labour and Social Studies (CLASS) National Advisory Panel and is a School Governor at Shaftesbury Park Primary School in London.

Hillary Gyebi-Ababio was elected NUS UK Vice-President Higher Education, for a two-year term, by an overwhelming 85% of voters in 2020. Prior to this Hillary was a Social Policy student and the Undergraduate Education Officer at University of Bristol Students' Union. During her time at Bristol she was Chair of the Widening Participation Network working with the SU and university in promoting a more inclusive and diverse student body and student experience. She believes that education should be free, accessible and open to all, with students from all backgrounds and identities being able to engage with and shape the education they deserve.

Dr. Stryker Calvez is an education specialist, researcher, and evaluator who self-identifies as Michif (Metis; with Cree, Mohawk, French, and Scottish ancestry) from the Red River territory (now Winnipeg). As the most recent member of the GMCTE, he manages the Indigenous Voices program and supports faculty and staff who are strategizing and engaging in the process of Indigenization at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada. For the last ten years Stryker has actively engaged in working with and for Indigenous postsecondary programs, national institutes, schools, communities, and leaders to help build stronger and more impactful social programs for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.

Marilyn Holness is Professor of Education Engagement and Practice and Director of Student Engagement at the University of Roehampton. Working with the executive team she plays a critical role in setting and implementing the university’s strategic vision and leading on aspects of the student experience, including a key project to close the awarding gap. She is also deputy Chair of the London Higher Tacking Racism Taskforce. She is passionate about the transformative power of education and the positive difference it can make to lives - her own included. She works to help students realise their true potential through engagement and by taking control of their experiences. Professor Holness was formerly Head of the Department of Education at Roehampton University and she retains a strong interest in this sector. She has extensive experience across secondary schools and higher education in teaching, initial teacher education, student engagement, consultancy, and senior leadership. She has a voice on several education governing and advisory boards and in 2009 her achievements were recognised by the award of an OBE for services to teacher education.

Dr. Carole Davis, Co-Chair of SEDA and Associate Professor in Learning and Teaching at Solent University will introduce the webinar and act as moderator for the session.