What Does EDI Mean in Classrooms Today?
This talk offers an opportunity to pause and reflect on the current landscape of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) within higher education. As universities face increasing financial pressures, organisational restructurings, and shifting societal expectations, the context in which EDI work takes place is changing, both for institutions and for the students and staff who inhabit them.
TILE Network
Date: Wednesday 29 October 2025
Time: 16:00 - 17:00
Venue: Teams
Category: Academic events
Speaker: Dr Beth Cairns
Abstract: This talk offers an opportunity to pause and reflect on the current landscape of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) within higher education. As universities face increasing financial pressures, organisational restructurings, and shifting societal expectations, the context in which EDI work takes place is changing, both for institutions and for the students and staff who inhabit them. In light of these realities, the talk asks: How can contemporary conversations around EDI remain grounded in the complex and often challenging conditions of higher education today, while still responding meaningfully to the evolving needs of those within these institutions? Rather than rehearsing polished or overly simplified narratives about inclusion, this session seeks to engage with the “nitty gritty” realities, the messiness, the contradictions, and the emotional labour of doing EDI work in environments under strain. It encourages us to think critically about what it means to exist within, navigate, and influence universities that are themselves undergoing significant transformation. Finally, the talk concludes with a reflection on the role of care, compassion, and sustained commitment in building more inclusive academic spaces, not as abstract ideals, but as everyday practices embedded in the work of critical engagement and institutional change.
Speaker: Dr Beth Cairns is an Academic Development Partner at the University of Stirling, where she specialises in inclusive and accessible education. She leads on training and support for staff to diversify and critically reflect on their teaching practices and pedagogies. Beth also coordinates the university’s accredited teaching programmes, supporting academic staff across Stirling and its partner institutions in gaining professional recognition for their teaching. Beth completed her PhD in Criminology in 2025, with a focus on human rights and legal citizenship in Scotland. Her broader research interests centre on issues of inclusion and rights, particularly in Scotland and Hong Kong, exploring questions around legal rights, institutional access, and the marginalisation of communities. Her career in education spans several sectors. She began as a primary school teacher in East Africa before moving into higher education. Prior to her current role, she worked extensively in participatory education, training individuals living with dementia and those in substance use recovery to become researchers and educators. Beth has also contributed her expertise in governance and advocacy through board roles with Women’s Aid.