In October, Dr Anne Hollinshead returned to Myanmar for the 20th time in 8 years. This is part of on-going knowledge transfer and consultancy work focusing on promoting inclusive practice with focus on disability and special needs. Anne works in partnership with a National Association of Myanmar experts ( MSEA) to collaborate with the Myanmar government, Myanmar Universities, NGO’s such as Unesco, Unicef and the British Council.

Dr Anne Hollinshead, Director of the Centre for Lifelong Learning and Dr Sarah Cousins, Director of Early Years Programmes, Interim Director of Academic Studies, Centre for Lifelong Learning have been in discussions with a Kenyan Educational Trust – Stadi za Maisha (translates as ‘skills of life’) about possible collaborative activities with themselves, the State Ministry of Education, the County Ministry of Education, Kenyatta University (centre for lifelong learning) and the Kenyan Institute of Special education (KISE).

A scoping visit took place in Nairobi 30/9 – 4/10 where Anne and Sarah were hosted by

• Edward Mokua (EM), Coordinator Stadi za Maisha,
• Immaculata Wanjala (IM), Stadi za Maisha.

The Early Years team went on a guided tour of an exhibition of childhood at Compton Verney. The exhibition addressed a range of themes including royalty, play, learning, dreams, families, animals and nature. This was an opportunity to view and reflect on a selection of portraits and scenes with children as the main subject.

Our Senior Teaching Fellow in Early Childhood, Dr. Charlotte Jones, attended SEFDEY Froebel training - what better way to enrich the day than with Froebel's forms 'life, knowledge and beauty'. She reflects on the training day in her recent news article.

Ian Day, Senior Teaching Fellow on our Coaching programmes and co-author of Challenging Coaching, describes the greatest challenge he’s had to face and what he learnt in a recent article published in Coaching at Work