ESAI Annual Conference 2024

The ESAI Annual Conference 2024 took place at Maynooth University from Thursday, April 4th to Saturday, April 6th.

Irish and international colleagues came together to share, reflect, discuss, and debate insights under the conference theme of ‘Education for more just societies: the roles of imagination, innovation and collaboration’. The ESAI is the principle academic association for the advancement of education research in Ireland.

Having hosted two online conferences in 2021 and 2022, Marino Institute of Education was well represented at Maynooth. Dr Aimie Brennan, a member of the executive committee, was part of the organising committee for the conference, and posters and individual presentations were given by Dr Gene Mehigan, Dr Julie Ui Choistealbha, Dr Melanie Ni Dhuinn, Dr Edmund Gubbins, Dr Eileen Keane, Dr Rory McDaid, Dr Andrea Lynch and Dr Aiveen Mullally. Presentations covered the themes of ‘school placement, action research, teacher supply and diversity, transitioning from further education, professional identity, the artist teacher and arts education, and patronage in primary schools. Dr Miriam Colum gave an overview of the work of the Special Interest Group (SIG) on Inclusive Education.

At the AGM on Thursday 4 April, Dr Aimie Brennan, Dean of Education: Policy, Practice and Society at MIE, was elected Vice-President of the Association. She will take up her role, alongside Dr Máirín Glenn as President. Congratulating Dr Brennan and Dr Glenn on their election, President of MIE and former President of the ESAI (2020-2022), Professor Teresa O’Doherty said, ‘The ESAI is fortunate enough to have so many wonderful leaders on the committee. It is almost 50 years since the Educational Studies Association of Ireland was established, and it’s never been more vibrant’.

More information about the conference can be found on the ESAI website www.esai.ie and following the conference hashtag on X #esai24.