EQUAL-L: Mainstreaming Equality: 3rd Annual Conference on Equality in Further and Higher Education and Training, November 22 (Dublin)

CONFERENCE NOTIFICATION:

Mainstreaming Equality: 3rd Annual Conference on Equality in Further and Higher Education and Training, November 22 (Dublin)

Promoting equality and accommodating diversity in further and higher education, training and labour market programmes

Date: Thursday 22nd November 2007
Time: 0900-1320
Place: The Royal College of Physicians, 6 Kildare Street, Dublin 2

The composition of the Irish workforce is changing rapidly. Employee diversity encompasses all of the nine grounds covered under equality legislation - gender, marital status, family status, age, disability, sexual orientation, race, religion and membership of the Traveller community. Investing in equality and diversity is key to mobilising and developing this changing workforce.

Beyond responsibilities on providers in further education and training not to discriminate, there is an economic and social imperative to actively pursue the recruitment and progression of learners from all groups experiencing inequality under these grounds. The principal challenge in this sector is to mainstream equality in learning opportunities for all people, taking full account of their diversity.

The conference is jointly organised by The Equality Authority, The Department of Education and Science and The Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment. The event will focus on understanding the implications of promoting equality and accommodating diversity for the work of further and higher education and training practitioners. Keynote speakers and facilitated workshops will:

Examine the importance of promoting equality for the diverse workplace of the future

Explore the implications of equality and diversity for students and practitioners in further and higher education and training

Identify key lessons learned from promoting equality in the Vocational Education and training sector

Who should attend?
The conference is aimed at practitioners, managers and policy makers in further and vocational education and training and all those who work in educational practice, policy and advocacy with an interest in equality and diversity. There is no charge for the conference and lunch will be provided.

For information and bookings please contact:

FET Conference, The Equality Authority, 2 Clonmel Street, Dublin 2

Call Nigel Hickey on 01 417 3376 or email: nhickey@equality.ie

If you are registering by email:

Please provide all your contact details (name, address, organisation, phone and email) and indicate if you will stay for lunch and if you have any special dietary requirements.

The second session of the conference will contain 3 workshops, please consult the conference brochure or registration form for the details of the workshop and indicate in the e-mail your 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice of workshop.