The Office of the Vice-President for Teaching & Learning has been appointed as a member of a new initiative hosted by the European University Association (EUA). The new EUA Learning & Teaching Forum aims to provide opportunities for peer-learning and exchange of good practice in learning and teaching, to foster engagement with relevant university communities and dedicated policy makers, networks and organisations, thus strengthening their voice in ongoing policy debates on changing learning landscapes. This new initiative provides a direct voice for institutions into discussions on key topics for European Higher Education. This is a wonderful opportunity for UCC to engage with our own students to shape the development of European policy while also embedding an international perspective in our activities.

The EUA has convened four thematic peer groups with a view to identifying the core principles for successful learning and teaching across Europe. UCC participates in the peer group considering “building a link between the research and teaching missions of the university” will be represented by Professor John O’Halloran, VP for Teaching and Learning, Dr Catherine O’Mahony, CIRTL Manager, and Ian Hutchinson, UCC Student Union. The thematic peer groups will engage in face-to-face meetings to discuss and develop thinking around their respective themes. The first series of European Learning & Teaching Forum meetings took place in March 2017. The discussions culminated in the inaugural European Learning and Teaching Forum Conference in Paris in September 2017.