Mission Statement

The Centre undertakes both funded and non-funded research that inquires into educational policies, initiatives, processes and results in the field of higher education. Research themes include exploring global, European, national and local:

• higher educational projects incorporating culturally informed educational initiatives aimed at the promotion of human well-being, development and democracy;
• the 'outcomes' or results of formal higher education on subsequent work-life, continued education, life-decisions, values and attitudes;
• educational encounters in higher education, educational leadership, community and adult education.
• higher educational policies and the connection between policy and practice in higher education.

The Centre subscribes to a concept of education as a process directed at human flourishing, integrity and truth. Human flourishing is enabled or hindered by historical, cultural, linguistic and socio-political factors. Integrity acknowledges that education finds its expression in informed human agency, not just in statement and assertion. Truth as the goal of all modelling, approximate knowledge and partial understandings remains the dynamic for all educational encounters and endeavours.

Our emphasis on culture (material and non-material) is linked to exploring the values and principles (tacit or otherwise) through which education attains different forms of expression and practice.