Summary of UK ANGEL/TEESNet Meeting: June 2022.

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The budding network of academics and researchers based in the UK who are involved with the ANGEL network and/or have been involved with TEESNet held a face to face meeting on 13 June at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) - hosted by Dr Karen Pashby.

The ANGEL / TEESNet Partnership Network, formed in 2021, is primarily for researchers involved in work focused on global social justice issues and education for sustainable development. An initial webpage can be seen here: https://angel-network.net/ANGEL_TEESNet

In addition to a series of short papers by researchers linked to MMU, over 20 academics spent the day identifying areas of commonality, potential joint initiatives, ideas for research and future events. What was seen as most important for everyone was the opportunity to meet face to face, share ideas in a more informal space, and spend quality time together.

Discussions

There were 3 parallel conversations in small groups, one on methodology, one on decoloniality and the role of the researcher.

Amongst a wide range of ideas expressed, the following points were made:

• How do you capture data and information without being reduced to putting them in boxes?
• How do we ensure that, in framing themes and questions for research, we do so in a way that is inclusive? We need to think carefully about the language we use.
• What about approaching our research and teaching as more about learning through rather than about?
• Exploration of the extent to which global education and learning is becoming a distinctive field.
• What does GCE/GE research have to contribute to the apparent ‘rush’ to decolonise?
• How do we create spaces for collaboration?
• The importance of futures thinking.

Next steps

From the discussions, it is planned to have an online meeting of the Network in the early autumn with a view to having an annual face to face meeting, perhaps hosed by a different university every year.
Already there are a number of collaborative events planned including a symposium at the BERA Conference on September 7th at Liverpool University, and various inputs at the TEESNet conference on September 28th.

For further information about the network, contact from Doug Bourn or Kester Muller.