National Institute for Christian Education Research (NICER)
Bob Bowie
55What’s Going On
CA23120 – Religious Identity, Bullying and Wellbeing at School: A Transnational Collaboration (ORBIT)
Bob is representing the UK as part of this strand of this 4 year EU funded transnational cooperation which is a funded network of interested academics from across Europe and beyond, led by DCU. It links to our work on Spiritual Flourishing. It is an open network and you can join in through the website and apply to join one of the working groups. The EU funds travel to the events but not any research time so it is relevant if your own research work relates to the themes. You can find out more about this COST ACTION and are recommended to check it out before the end of November 2024 if you think you want to be involved – www.cost.eu/actions/CA23120/
Sir Halley Stewart Centenary Celebration and NICER Project Chaplains: Loss and Spiritual Resilience
NICER was recently invited as one of 9 grantees to the centenary celebration of the Sir Halley Stuart Trust to meet the Trustees. You can read about the Trust at www.sirhalleystewart.org.uk. The NICER project led by Dr Ann Casson with Ann Pittaway was called Chaplains: Loss and Spiritual Resilience (£60,000), a two year qualitative investigation into the role of chaplains and pupil transition, especially those impacted by COVID- 19. Read more at nicer.org.uk/spiritual-resilience
Cultivating Deeper Interdisciplinary Dialogue (CDiD)
Our major new project led by Dr Mary Woolley and a team from Canterbury Christ Church University launched, and will be working with teachers in Welsh secondary schools to explore the conversations teachers have about sustainability and climate change education. Templeton World Charity Foundation (TWCF) are funding this three-year project, with $480,000. To find out more about the project, visit nicer.org.uk/cultivating-dialogue
Church of England Big Questions Multi Academy Trust Engagement
We are running a program, funded by TWCF through the National Society engaging school leaders with the outputs of the Science Religious Encounters project to help schools engage with the fundings and resources in support of teaching. Sessions have been led by Dr Mary Woolley, Prof Bob Bowie, Dr Caroline Thomas, Dr John-Paul Riordan and Professor Lynn Revell, and attended by a group of staff members representing around 20 Church of England based multi-academy trusts.
AULRE Seminars 2024/2025
NICER once again hosted a seminar as part of the AULRE series, with the inaugural session held on Thursday, October 17th. The topic was “RE and Holocaust Education Post October 7, 2023,” presented by Dr Alasdair Richardson, a Reader in Education (Holocaust Education) and Postgraduate Research Student Lead at the University of Winchester’s Faculty of Education & the Arts.
Glasgow University Network for Researchers in Catholic Education
On October 24th, Professor Bob Bowie presented at the Glasgow University Network for Researchers in Catholic Education. He discussed the role of traditional education in relation to synodality.
Centre for Effective Altruism (EFC) III conference. Raising new generations in a post-traditional society
The Centre for Effective Altruism (EFC) III conference, titled “Raising New Generations in a Post-Traditional Society,” took place from October 31st to November 1st. Hosted by the Theological University of Apeldoorn and the Theological University in Utrecht, the event featured a keynote lecture by Professor Bob Bowie on “Traditional Schooling in a Post-Traditional World.”
Upcoming Events
November 7th (10:00-16:00): International symposium on hermeneutics
NICER will host an international symposium on hermeneutics and the insights we can gain from traditions. The event features distinguished speakers including Dr. Margaret Carswell (ACU, Australia), Prof. Dan Cohn-Sherbok (University of Kent), Dr. Sean Whittle (St Mary’s University), Fr. John Moffat SJ (London Jesuit Centre), Katie Clemmey (CCCU), and Research Assistant Hülya Baştürk (İnönü University, Turkey).
November 18th (10:00-11:30): CDiD Religion, Values, and Ethics network meeting.
This event will feature special invited guests to discuss the role and potential of sustainability and climate change education within the Curriculum for Wales, the current state of RVE in Welsh schools, opportunities for professional learning in RVE for teachers in Wales, and the creation of a literature set on RVE in Wales. Hosted by Katie Clemmey and Bob Bowie.
December 3rd (4:30-5:30): Faith in the Nexus Online Resource Community
This forum is designed for leaders and teachers in education and church communities to share their innovative ideas and resources based on the key findings of the Faith in the Nexus research. The focus is on practitioners sharing their ideas to bring research into practice, rather than simply presenting them. In addition to providing ready-made resources for participants, the forum offers opportunities for the Nexus team to quality assure these resources and track their impact in both school and church contexts.
January 13th, 2025 Freedom of Religion or Belief Education Research Network
NICER and colleagues from various universities and organizations will meet to discuss forming an education research network focused on Freedom of Religion or Belief. For more information, contact Bob.
January 24th, 2025 Youthscape
NICER has been invited to join Youthscape’s research community’s first annual gathering. To find out more about Youthscape and their work, visit – www.youthscape.co.uk/about
In the pipeline
External organisations that we are currently in dialogue with:
