Disciplines Inquiring into Societal Challenges (DISCs): Enhancing Teaching and Learning for Active Citizenship
    Societal challenges and sensitive topics must be engaged by teachers and learners in higher education to enable active citizens who are prepared to engage conflicts of values and inequalities in diverse societies. The importance of engaging societal challenges through teaching and learning is captured in the national strategic prioritisation of internationalised (intercultural), gender conscious, and community-oriented learning experiences (HEA 2018; 2016 a, b). This project builds the capacity of Irish HE to meet staff teaching and learning development needs in relation to these strategic priorities, in an integrated, interdisciplinary manner. The project will develop a DISCs Strategy and Structured Implementation Plan, which align with and enhance the National Professional Development Framework. DISCs Champions from across key disciplinary domains will be identified within the partner institutions. Champions’ development needs regarding teaching through intercultural, gender-conscious and community-based methods will be identified using student evaluation of, and staff reflection on Champions’ existing practices. The professional competencies, needs and values of each Champion will be mapped within and across disciplines and partner institutions. This mapping, and an international literature review, will inform a pilot interdisciplinary DISCs Competencies, Values, Methods and Learning Outcomes model which maps on to the 5 National Professional Development domains. Professional development plans will be created for each Champion, using existing digital tools and badges, and professional education in intercultural and gender-conscious teaching methods. Intra- and inter-disciplinary staff teaching and learning artefacts generated through the process will be uploaded on the project website. Evaluation of the pilot Competencies, Values, Methods and Learning Outcomes model will lead to the development of an inter-institutional DISCs Strategy and Structured Implementation Plan. The Plan will be sustained through the project website and by DISCs Champions supporting future staff development.