Fionnuala Casey 
Jan Draper, George Kernohan and Aine MacNamara (OU and UU) In the United Kingdom, there are between 70,000 and 100,000 hospice volunteers, of whom half have direct patient contact. This presentation will draw on a commissioned literature review that highlighted how ‘volunteering is integral to voluntary action and often motivated by altruism.’ The review concluded … Read more
Dr Assumpta Ryan (Ulster) This presentation will bring together the findings from a range of qualitative and mixed methods studies on family caregiving and entry to long-term care from the perspective of older people and their families. The changing philosophy surrounding the provision of health and social care across Europe has resulted in a shift … Read more
Professor Pauric McGowan (UU), Dr Richard Blundel (OU) and Dr Kristen Reid (OU) – Public policy statements on enterprise and entrepreneurship education have emphasised its importance in relation to the promotion of economic growth, community development and resilience. However, there is continuing debate over the nature, scope and effectiveness of existing approaches. For example, a … Read more
Professor Teresa Cremin (OU) This presentation is based on a comparative study funded by the European Union, which works across the four nations of the UK and eight other participating countries: Belgium, Finland, France, Greece, Germany, Malta, Portugal, and Romania. The project (2011-14) focuses on the relationships and synergies between science and mathematics education and … Read more
Professor Nigel J Mason (OU) The United Kingdom, like most of Europe, is struggling to attract its younger generation into Science Engineering Technology and Mathematics (STEM). This presentation will examine a number of issues: How can we both improve uptake of STEM at schools and universities, and ensure subsequent careers are attractive to the next … Read more
Dr Anne Kouvonen, Dr Justyna Bell and Dr Michael Donnelly (QUB) This presentation will discuss our research in mental health and well-being of Polish migrants – the largest ethnic minority in Northern Ireland (NI) (Census 2011). Our findings suggest that many Polish migrants are still in a process of adapting to NI society and there … Read more
Dr Ruth McAreavey (QUB) During the past two decades a predominant pattern of emigration has been reversed in Northern Ireland, as it became a destination for many different migrants. There is evidence of Sudanese seeking refuge, Filipino nurses taking up employment opportunities and Polish workers shoring up meat processing industries. A rich mix of ethnic … Read more
Dr Johanne Devlin Trew (Ulster) Between 2004 and 2008, immigration to Northern Ireland rose to unprecedented numbers and the issue of how the newcomers could be accommodated here became a ‘struggle’ for local authorities and featured prominently in the local media. Since then, however, immigration has declined significantly to the point where by 2012, Northern … Read more
Dr Philip O’Sullivan (OU) This seminar will focus on environmental economics and policy. It will present the case that, despite the recent global economic downturn and recession in the United Kingdom, the current economic policy response of expanding growth driven by fossil fuel production is actually unsustainable. Rather than being the answer to increased prosperity … Read more
Professor Greg Lloyd and Gavan Rafferty (Ulster) With the emerging Local Government (Reform) Bill, Community Planning offers an innovative way to consider how public services are planned and delivered. In appreciating how this new function aligns with the main aspirations of the Programme for Government, Community Planning should be considered in relation to the wider … Read more