Our 2024 top UCC School of Education PME Graduate Stephen Foley was recently awarded the prestigious NUI Scholarship and Prize in Education on November 22nd in a ceremony held in Croke Park. We are all very proud of Stephen’s ongoing achievements and how he represents our PME programme and the high standards it achieves. Stephen is currently teaching Irish and French in Cashel Community School.

Congratulations to current PME 1 student Caitriona Kiely who was awarded a bursary from the Cork Branch of the Irish Mathematics Teachers Association (IMTA).

The bursary was awarded to Catriona at a small reception in UCC on the 13^th of November.

A huge well done and congratulations to the BEd (Hons) Physical Education, Sports Studies and Arts graduates who received the Annual Student Awards on the 30th of October 2024 in the North Wing Council room.

We are delighted to announce the publication of a new book with Oak Tree Press by School of Education colleagues, Seánín Hoy, Gearóid O'Brien and Steve O'Brien on teaching Global Citizenship Education (GCE) in the post-primary classroom. This honours the important work that educators do in nurturing young global citizens - a most hopeful and ever-pressing responsibility.

To all students in the School of Education, UCC

Would you like to take part in the new School of Education Student Voice Committee?

Your voice matters! The Student Voice Committee will provide you with the opportunity to meet with peers from across the School of Education and discuss matters that concern you. Your discussions and ideas can provide constructive feedback to staff and management in the School of Education which, in turn, will help improve student experience (now and into the future).

Click Read more for further information on how you can get involved.

The Bachelor of Science Education programme awards for 2024 took place on Monday 4th November.

The PME2 class of 2023/2024 graduated on Wednesday, October 30th. The conferring was a further celebratory milestone in the development of the PME programme in UCC marking the 10th anniversary since its introduction in 2014.

One of our talented graduates Stephen Foley came first place in the class across both taught modules and School Placement.

He was presented with a medal to mark his outstanding achievement at a ceremony before his official conferring.

Stephen is pictured below with Dr Brian Murphy, PME Programme Director and Dr Niamh Dennehy, PME Deputy Director and his parents. Stephen is currently employed in Cashel Community School teaching both Irish and French.

An awards ceremony celebrating the achievements of our B.Ed. Gaeilge 2024 graduates took place on Tuesday 29th October 2024 at 2pm.

The following awards were presented:

• Gradam Bharr Feabhais Acadúil 2024 - Siobhán Ní Chróinín
• Gradam Ildánaí 2024 - Sophie Ní Choileáin

Well done to both Siobhán and Sophie!

On Friday 27th September the School of Education Athena Swan Self-Assessment Team (SAT) held its first formal meeting. Staff from the EDI unit and CACSSS gave short presentations on the process and the central supports available. As Chair of the committee, Professor Deirdre Horgan outlined the Terms of Reference for the SAT and led a discussion on the formation of Working Groups. Professor Nicola Ingram signed the letter of commitment to the Athena Swan Ireland Charter principles to strive for impactful and sustainable gender equality work and to build capacity for evidence-based equality work across the equality grounds enshrined in Irish legislation. We look forward to working with all members of staff on this important project in the coming year with submission of an application for a Bronze award planned for April 2026.

We are delighted to announce the launch of the 2024-25 New Avenues to Teaching bursary scheme for student teachers from under-represented groups.

Further information can be found at www.ucc.ie/en/nat/

Closing date: Friday, 20th December 2024 at 4pm.