Context

The WERA IRN in HRE was established in 2019. It exists to enhance and promote research internationally in the fast-developing field of human rights education. One of the ways in which it seeks to do this is by building a sustainable network which strengthens existing working relationships between established and early career researchers (ECRs). The IRN has two foundational pillars: the open access journal Human Rights Education Review and the International Conference on Education for Democratic Citizenship.

Following informal discussions with IRN members, the WERA IRN HRE Convenors wish to create a space within the IRN which strengthens opportunities for ECRs working in the field of human rights education research to explore issues of direct relevance to them at this stage in their academic careers, while enabling them to continue to play a central role in the wider activities of the IRN. Accordingly, we have invited Dr Sue Gollifer to act as a co-convenor of an ECR Group and we invite other ECRs interested in leading this initiative to put their names forward to join her as co-convenors. We anticipate a group of two or three persons working as ECR Group Co-convenors. Each will serve for an initial period of three years, which may be renewable.

ECR GroupTerms of Reference

1. Members should be registered doctoral candidates at a recognised Higher Education Institution (HEI) or HEI employees pursuing research in their first five years since graduating with a doctoral qualification.
2. Members should be engaged in human rights education research or interested in exploring how human rights education might inform and enhance their research activities.
3. The group will focus on human rights education, in keeping with the core purpose of the IRN HRE, rather than on related social justice research endeavours.
4. Members will work to offer mutual support to fellow member colleagues, in line with the core principles of human rights and HRE.
5. ECR group convenors will be invited to meetings of the core IRN membership in which plans are made and developed, with opportunities to feed into planning processes.

Group benefits

1. Opportunities to gain mutual support with others engaged in HRE and HRE-based research.
2. Benefits deriving from WERA affiliation, such as invitations from IRN Convenors to participate in WERA-led panels and symposia.
3. Opportunities to work alongside and network with established HRE researchers, including those on the Human Rights Education ReviewEditorial Team and the journal’s International Editorial Advisory Board.
4. Advance notice of international doctoral students’ courses and training in HRE.

If you would like to join Sue Gollifer as a Co-Convenor of the ECR Group, we invite you to submit an application, outlining your research activities in HRE, and the ways in which you feel you might contribute to the development of the ECR Group and/or the wider WERA IRN in HRE (one page maximum). Be sure to include your institutional affiliation, institutional role and contact details on this page. Send your application to Prof Hugh Starkey h.starkey@ucl.ac.uk to arrive no later than 18.00 (London BST) 30 September 2021.

Sue Gollifer, ECR Group Convenor WERA IRN HRE, University of Iceland, Iceland

Audrey Osler, WERA IRN HRE Co-Convenor, University of South-Eastern Norway, Norway

Hugh Starkey, WERA IRN HRE Co-Convenor, IOE, University College London, UK