Dr Eleni Meletiadou participated in an initiative that aimed to promote a sustainable dialogue between young researchers, innovators and stakeholders in the research ecosystem.
Date: 19 July 2022
London Met’s Dr Eleni Meletiadou, University Teaching Fellow in EDI (Teaching, Learning and Assessment) at the Guildhall School of Business and Law, recently participated in the Intersectionality, Research, and Action International Summer School (IRAISS).
The Summer School was organised by the VOICES Cost-Action at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Poland.
Eleni received EU-funding to join leading international scholars on intersectionality research. The IRAISS was designed as a focused and innovative opportunity to engage novice and experienced scholars and activists in critical discourse, research, and epistemologies on intersectional research, theory, and practice. Intercontinental collaborations and partnering on research projects to further the knowledge and work on intersectionality were also offered.
The IRAISS convened interested scholars, activists, and other professionals who sought to grapple with questions and issues of intersectional identity. Particularly, the IRAISS was purposed to engage in solution-oriented discourse that focus on social justice issues and intersectionality in countries throughout Europe and its colonial legacy; and to create opportunities for young researchers and innovators, making sure their voices are heard by promoting structured dialogue between young researchers and innovators, policymakers, researchers, and institutional administrative management.
Dr Meletiadou said, “I really enjoyed participating in the IRAISS International Summer School which allowed me to reflect on my work as a researcher so far and uncover many of the identities I have. In terms of this meeting with international experts in the field of intersectionality, I was able to present my research projects and receive positive and constructive feedback. IRAISS also offered valuable networking and collaboration opportunities.
“Working as a team with two other Balkan female researchers, we intend to write a blog which will be published on the Action’s website about our experiences during the international summer school reflecting on two identities we share – being Balkan and women – and one additional which is unique for each one of us, such as age, migration, and divorce.
“I feel incredibly happy I was offered this EU-funded CPD opportunity which allowed me to contribute to this Action aiming to promote gender equality and support young researchers. This EU-funded Action aligns perfectly with LMU’s aspiration to promote Social Justice and Sustainable Learning Development by providing a supportive research environment to develop staff and student research capabilities, embed impact and knowledge exchange within its research culture, exploit external relationships and develop initiatives to build a strong PhD community.”
VOICES is a Cost-funded Action focused on promoting fairness and equality in career assessment and research organisation, with the aim to raise awareness and dialogue between young researchers, innovators and decision makers to promote fairness and equality in career assessment and research organisation. The Action extends to 33 European countries and has partner institutions in the USA as well. VOICES is particularly aligned with the European political agenda regarding gender equality in research.
Dr Eleni Meletiadou is a Senior Lecturer/Course Director at London Met’s Guildhall School of Business and Law. Her research covers educational and language assessment, equity, diversity and inclusion, Education for Social Justice and Sustainable Development, writing, gender in management, leadership, crisis management, multilingualism, intercultural competence, HRM and more.
She is the Chair of the European Association of Educational Assessment (AEA-Europe) Inclusive Assessment Special Interest Group, the Conference Track Chair of the British Academy of Management (BAM) Knowledge and Learning Special Interest Group, and the European Academy of Management (EURAM) Doctoral Accelerator Mentor.
