SIG Fair, Resilient & Inclusive Societies (FRIS)
The Special Interest Group (SIG) FRIS is a network of educational innovators who want to contribute to the development of more Fair, Resilient & Inclusive Societies (FRIS). In 2022, the SIG FRIS launched as UvA’s second thematic educational innovation grant from TLC-Central and the Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies. In the context of an overheated and fast-paced academic learning and working environment, this SIG constitutes a growing collective learning space that strives to ‘refresh’ the academic world.
The SIG FRIS focuses on system change initiatives. For example, we do the following:
- We increase our understanding and awareness regarding our role as teachers in relation to global and local challenges.
- We develop an inclusive and developmental learning culture.
- We develop skills that contribute to our success as socially engaged teachers.
- With the FRIS Guide, we invite teachers to apply regenerative principles within their own context and learning community.
Did you already know about the FRIS grant?
The FRIS grant offers you time and space to develop and co-create an education innovation project related to FRIS themes.
FRIS grant projects are designed on the premise that transformative learning and innovative work in systems should be linked to a process of internal personal and professional development.
Who is this SIG for?
The FRIS community engages its broader membership through co-created events and co-learning activities with and for FRIS-oriented educators, education designers/support-staff and researchers. Drawing on a rich experience in innovative approaches and techniques from the FRIS design team and FRIS grantees, in our FRIS events we practice a range of innovative pedagogical and action-research techniques, including for instance auto-ethnographic story-telling methodologies, reflective journaling, consciousness-oriented and mindfulness exercises, theatre-inspired workshops, Socratic questioning, and dynamic living systems design frameworks.
What does the SIG currently look like?
What does the SIG currently look like?Currently, the SIG FRIS consists of about 50 enthusiastic UvA teachers. These teachers are involved and active within the SIG to varying degrees. Besides, diversity is celebrated. Accordingly, members are employed in various UvA faculties (including EB, FdG, FdR, FGw, FMG and FNWI).
Is the FRIS community something for you?
The SIG FRIS is definitely something for you if you recognise yourself in the following statements:
- You often see more potential for the education projects/programmes/courses you are involved in to serve Fair, Resilient and Inclusive Societies (FRIS), but you want to explore how to develop your capabilities and better align and engage with others (students, colleagues, societal stakeholders) in doing so.
- You know that engaging critically through a lens of FRIS in your education (design, implementation, support or management) requires working on your own internal thinking and behavioural patterns, but you want to explore how to do so more effectively.
- Your work is important to you, but you sense a longing for a deeper development and exploration of your deeper purpose in your work – of who you aim to be/become as a societally engaged educator.
- You have an intuitive curiosity to rethink, renew and redesign education, and you feel a desire to become part of and co-creatively engage in a likeminded community of education innovators mutually committed to develop and deepen the impact of your work.
If you recognise yourself in the above, you are warmly welcome to join the FRIS community!
How to get involved in FRIS?
There are 3 ways to get involved!
- Register for the FRIS team page and mailing list. To do this, you can contact FRIS organiser Nithya (n.subramanian@uva.nl). Receive more information about upcoming events and the online community sharing space.
- Apply for the FRIS grant. This is only possible from 10 December 2024 until 31 January 2025. Share your interest by sending an e-mail to n.subramanian@uva.nl. Read more about the FRIS grant on this page.
- Visit the FRIS café or other FRIS events. Would you like to co-create, co-host or co-facilitate a session? Contact FRIS chair Mieke (t.a.lopescardozo@uva.nl).
Dr. Mieke Lopes Cardozo is associate professor of Regenerative Education and Development at the UvA. Mieke’s academic and transdisciplinary teaching, supervision, research and writing focus on the role of education systems in processes of regeneration, peacemaking, social justice and inclusive development. As the chair of the SIG FRIS, Mieke conducts and supervises action research and educational innovation projects in collaboration with other educational innovators.
Nithya Subramanian oversees finances and personnel administration at TLC Central. Besides, Nithya felt a strong desire to get involved in the SIG FRIS since she first learned about it. She is thrilled to be stepping into the shoes of former FRIS organizers and co-facilitators Sidsel Petersen (2023-2024) and Rosanne van Wieringen (2022-2023). In particular, the topics of diversity and inclusion resonate deeply with her, especially given her international background as someone originally from India.