DIEN National gathering highlights inclusion with Spring Conference

Attendees at the DIEN Spring Conference which took place at Limerick and Clare ETB’s College of FET, Kilmallock Road Campus, including Limerick and Clare ETB’s Chief Executive Bernadette Cullen and Director of Further Education and Training Paul Patton, alongside staff, teachers and community partners.

Diversity and Intercultural Education Network (DIEN) brings together educators, learners and community partners for the annual Spring Conference recently in Limerick

The Diversity and Intercultural Education Network (DIEN) hosted its annual Spring Conference recently in Limerick, bringing together educators, learners and community partners from across Ireland. The event was facilitated locally by Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board at its College of FET, Kilmallock Road Campus in Limerick.

This year’s conference, themed “It Takes a Village: Community Connections and Inclusive Practice,” focused on celebrating diversity and exploring how education can create welcoming, inclusive spaces for all. Reflecting DIEN’s mission to support educators in fostering intercultural understanding and inclusion, the event provided a platform for connection, shared learning and collaboration in a supportive and engaging environment.

Speaking at the event, Bernadette Cullen, Chief Executive of Limerick and Clare ETB, said:
“Education plays a key role in helping people feel included and valued. We were delighted to support DIEN in hosting this important conference and to welcome so many people coming together to share ideas and strengthen inclusive practice across our learning communities.”

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DIEN, established to promote diversity and intercultural education across Irish learning settings, continues to play a key role in supporting educators through networking, research, and the sharing of best practice. Santhi Corcoran, Lecturer and Researcher at Mary Immaculate College and co-founder of DIEN, said: “What I found most valuable today was the coming together of everyone, presenters and participants, to share, learn and connect. Our theme ‘It Takes a Village’ truly reflects that it takes people with shared hopes and ideas working together to support diversity and inclusion for future generations.”

The conference featured keynote speakers, presentations and interactive workshops addressing themes central to DIEN’s work, including inclusive education, supporting learners from diverse cultural backgrounds, and fostering a sense of belonging within education systems.

Dr Garret Campbell, Founder and Managing Director of Global Schoolroom and one of the keynote speakers, highlighted the importance of representation in education. They said, “Teacher diversity remains a real challenge, with the workforce still largely homogeneous. What I’ve learned from working with internationally-educated teachers is that it’s not just about registration, we need a whole system of support to help them grow and thrive professionally in their new context.”

Workshops and discussions throughout the day provided opportunities for participants to exchange experiences, explore challenges and highlight good practice across a range of education and training settings. A strong message emerging from the conference was the importance of collaboration, partnership and active listening in building inclusive communities.

Jackie McCarthy O’Brien, Irish sporting pioneer, author and also a keynote speaker at the conference, reflected on the impact of the day. She said, “I was amazed to see the range of programmes and the focus on equality and diversity across colleges and schools. When I was younger, that simply wasn’t there. I’m leaving today feeling hopeful for the future, that everyone will feel included, have a sense of belonging, and know their voice is being heard.”