04/09/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 04/09/2024 17:05
Researchers at University of Galway have revealed some of the lived experiences of undergraduate students before and during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The report examines barriers to inclusion experienced by different student groups, including international students, those from an ethnic minority, students with disabilities and LGBT+ students.
All students were undergraduate students in the College of Business, Public Policy and Law at the University of Galway.
The report addresses undergraduate student experiences both before and during the Covid-19 pandemic, with data gathered from 2018 to 2021 through online surveys, individual interviews and focus groups. In total, 1391 students contributed to the research.
Dean of Students, Professor Ciara Meehan, launched the report, and said: "The young people who went through education during the pandemic demonstrated enormous achievements and resilience. Every one of them should recognise this and remember that it will stand to them in time. As a University, it is important for us to engage with our students, to hear their voice and to respond appropriately. The pandemic was a unique challenge for us all and we are grateful to our research team of Dr Shivaun Qunilivan and Lucy Ann Buckley for working to record the experiences of our students and offer learnings."
Dr Shivaun Quinlivan, joint lead of the Inclusive Learning at University of Galway project and co-author of the report, said: "In order to improve inclusion, we first have to understand the barriers to inclusion and participation experienced by students at the University of Galway. We felt it was really important to engage with our students, and hear their voice - this will enable us to take steps to address the issues they face. We hope the lasting legacy of this research will be to improve the learning experience for all our students."
Key findings:
The report was prepared by the Inclusive Learning in the College of Business, Public Policy and Law project team, led by Dr Shivaun Quinlivan and Professor Lucy-Ann Buckley, with research by Dr Dinali Wijeratne.
Recommendations:
The report made a range of recommendations for the University, some of which are already acted upon, including the development of an anti-racism policy; reasonable accommodation policy; training on issues related to equality, diversity and inclusion.
The report also urged measures to promote accessibility; regular student culture surveys; reduction in class sizes where possible; social events to encourage inclusion and address student isolation; additional resourcing for key support services; and enhanced data gathering and monitoring.
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