The 8th Annual Lecturer Workshop on Transformative Pedagogies in Human Rights Education

September 2, 2024

AUN-HRE Hosts 8th Annual Lecturer Workshop on Transformative Pedagogies in Human Rights Education

Bangkok, August 2024 — The ASEAN University Network – Human Rights Education (AUN-HRE) successfully held its 8th Annual Regional Lecturer Workshop, which this year focusing on Transformative Pedagogies in Teaching Human Rights from August 26 to 29, 2024, at the ibis Hotel Bangkok Riverside. The event brought together 20 lecturers from the social sciences across the region, aiming to enhance human rights education through innovative teaching approaches.

The workshop led by Dr. Vachararutai Boontinand, Dr. Felicia Yeban and Asst. Prof. Dr. Duanghathai Buranajaroenkij delved into the importance of making human rights education a transformative experience and explored strategies to make teaching more participatory, foster critical thinking, and address existing challenges in the classroom. Participants engaged with alternative teaching perspectives, including feminist lenses, the Community of Philosophical Inquiry (CoPE), and philosophy-informed research and education.

Through a series of dynamic sessions and in-depth discussions, the workshop underscored the critical role universities play in advancing human rights education beyond theoretical concepts. It emphasized the need to elevate education as a catalyst for action, contributing to social justice, including enabling a safe space for discussions through academic freedom.

The event concluded with participants presenting their course syllabi and sharing insights on how to enhance human rights courses to be more inclusive and responsive to current global issues. The exchange of ideas marked a significant step forward in promoting transformative pedagogies in the teaching of human rights across the ASEAN region.