I was invited to attend this conference which was held on 31 January 2024. It was the first time I attended such a conference, and whatever expectations I had, were exceeded.
I met people, and the topics presented were rich in information and I wished I could have attended all of them. I was able to discuss different issues that impact education and especially those in minority groups. One of the presenters delivered a session on leadership and lack of minorities in leadership roles such as headmasters or deputy headmasters. This had relevance to my own experiences and my thesis topic.
Maybe the highlight was the speech by Sir Grice Principal of Queen Margaret University. In that session he posited how the university is aiming to attract staff from ethnic minorities because this was still an issue at that university.
He stated they are applying the Rooney Rule. I found this interesting as I have not heard about it, nor it being applied anywhere. He also spoke about the survey they conducted and how students from minority groups did not buy in. This was interesting and I suggested visible actions but also, I asked the question about treating minority students as a homogenous group. He frankly stated he had no answer. My supervisor Dr Deb Outhwaite interjected letting him know I was about to submit my thesis and he agreed to read it. It was a positive day, and I would urge anyone to attend in the future.