oin the UCD Access & Lifelong Learning team to learn how University College Dublin approaches welcoming students, builds communities for first year students. Participate in a self assessment exercise and take home practical tips on how to make our institutions a place where all students feel welcome and belong regardless of their age or background.
EFYE2024 – Copenhagen, Parallel session 4Workshop | Social integration/belonging
| An interactive workshop on University College Dublin’s approach to building First Year communities for underrepresented students. University College Dublin ( UCD) is Ireland’s largest university with over 17,000 undergraduate students . UCD is proud of its track record in enabling access for a wide range of diverse students, with 35.3% of the student population drawn from access priority groups, including students from low income households, students with a disability, first time -mature students, part-time students, students who are refugees, or in international protection, further education award holders and Irish Travellers. UCD is a recognised leader in ensuring access and inclusion is a strategic whole-institution priority (UCD, 2020). Uniquely, UCD has pioneered a University for All approach, which ensures that access and inclusion is everyone’s business (Kelly & Padden, 2018; Padden & Tonge, 2018; Fleming & Tracey, 2018). UCD Access & Lifelong Learning’s ambition is that in UCD all students, regardless of background or circumstances, feel welcome, belong and are valued. Our goal is that all students can undertake their studies, participate fully in the life of the University, and realise their academic, professional, career and personal goals. With 25% of first year places ring fenced for access admissions pathways, UCD makes over 1500 course offers to access students each year. Welcoming, creating a sense of belonging and facilitating these students to build communities, is the role of the UCD Access & Lifelong Learning Team. This interactive workshop will share our approach to welcoming students from pre-entry to fostering first year communities with on-going activities during the first trimester; it will highlight some of lessons UCD has learned, as well as explore themes of belonging versus fitting in. It will highlight the critical role students play in co-creating & delivering engagement activities and providing peer support. The workshop will use the University for all self assessment toolkit to give participants an opportunity to reflect on their own setting and to engage in group discussion to share examples of good practice, and to learn from each other. This workshop will demonstrate a collaborative approach to creating a sense of belonging within a large university. It will use the lens of University for all to reflect on current practice, explore examples of good practice that foster community building while exploring the theme of belonging versus fitting in. |
What do participants experience or learn?
Student mentor/tutor, Student, Administrative staff, Academic adviser.
Relevant for all students, but with a specific focus:
Students as organisers/owners, Students as leaders, Students as participants.