The Literacy and Development Group at the University of East Anglia was formed in 2003 with the aim of bringing together researchers working in this field and to enhance the research environment. The School of Education and Lifelong Learning (EDU), School of International Development (DEV) and School of Language and Communication Studies (LCS) run a joint research seminar series in the Autumn and Spring semesters. These seminars are open to all and aim to address issues within the field of Education and Development.
Who we are
The group links staff from the schools of Education and Lifelong Learning (EDU), School of International Development (DEV), and the School of Language and Communication Studies (LCS). It provides opportunities for researchers to meet, exchange ideas and collaborate on research. Taking a ‘situated literacies’ approach, we aim to combine theory and practice, to engage actively with key policy institutions in the UK and internationally and to encourage cross-cultural interaction between literacy researchers and practitioners in countries of the North and South.
Education and Development Seminar Series
Our regular Education and Development Seminar Series at UEA attracts a wide audience of research students, faculty and taught Masters students from across the University. We invite high profile seminar speakers from a range of institutions working in international education and development, as well as encouraging UEA colleagues to present on their research in this area.
International Conferences
In addition to running our regular Education and Development Seminar Series at UEA, we have hosted several international conferences: ‘Literacy Inequalities’ (2009), ‘Migration, education and socio-economic mobility’ (2007), ‘Literacies, identities and social change’ (2006), ‘The Schooling of Literacies’ (2005) and ‘Gender Equality in Adult Education’ (2004). Through these events, we have begun to facilitate conversations across disciplines (particularly between economists and ethnographers) and between different groups working in literacy (policy makers, practitioners and researchers).
Policy Impact
Policy impacts of our work include membership of key UN policy forums such as the UNESCO Literacy Decade experts group and Global Advisory Committee to the UN Girls Education Initiative as well as on-going policy research with UNESCO Institute of Statistics (LAMP). For further information on our activities, research and publications see our biennial reports (above).
Contact us
For further information please contact A.Robinson-Pant@uea.ac.uk (EDU), Sheila.Aikman@uea.ac.uk (DEV and seminar series), or L.Yulita@uea.ac.uk (LCS, and reading group).
Our staff web-pages
Latest News and Events
The LDG Reading Group recommences on 20th October 2011. Download the full programme
The EDU/DEV 2011 -12 research seminar series programme is available now online.
Saffie Savage, Head of Non-Formal Education in the Gambia spoke at a UEA event to celebrate International Literacy Day, September 8th 2011. Saffie has been attending the MA in Adult Literacy, Lifelong Learning and Development in the School of Education and Lifelong Learning.
See here for further details about this course
"Literacy Inequalities - Who cares?" Article by Bryan Maddox to mark International Literacy Day 2011.
Special Issue of International Journal of Educational Development on ‘Literacy Inequalities’.
A collection of papers from the 2009 conference on literacy inequalities are included in a special issue of IJED, with an editorial by Maddox, Aikman, Rao and Robinson-Pant.
The Biennial Report 2010-1011 is now available (download PDF version)
Literacy Inequalities Conference at the University of East Anglia, from 1-3 September 2009. Click here to download the Conference Report.
