Dr Angela Flynn attends the UNIC Thematic Conference in Istanbul, Turkey

6 Aug 2026

The 2nd UNIC Thematic Conference, “Institutions in Transition: Justice, Security, and Well-Being in Post-Industrial Cities”, was held at Koç University, Istanbul, Türkiye, from 17-19 June 2026

The 2nd UNIC Thematic Conference was held in Istanbul, Turkey from 17th-19th June 2026 and was hosted by Koç University. The conference was titled: “Institutions in Transition: Justice, Security, and Well-Being in Post-Industrial Cities” and it examined how institutions are responding to the challenges of growing inequalities, uneven access to health and social care, and the pressures of increasingly diverse and superdiverse communities. It was attended by UNIC member universities across Europe and a significant delegation from UCC was in attendance.

Dr Flynn presented her paper, understanding issues of inclusion in health care in Ireland, in a session under the theme of ‘Engaged Research for Every Day Urban Life’. Her paper reported work she led alongside colleagues in the Inclusion Health Research Group (IHRG). This large scale IHRG research project aimed to explore the health care experiences of people who find themselves marginalised. The paper presented in Istanbul focussed on the challenges of access when undertaking engaged research with marginalised communities and the methodological challenges therein.

Other members of the IHRG team involved in this project were: Dr Eoin Coughlan, Mr Ciaran Evans, Prof Pauline Frizelle, Dr Mairead Harding, Dr Helen Kelly, Prof Geraldine Lee, Prof Mark McEntee, Dr Ciara O’Toole.