TU Dublin School of Tourism & Hospitality Management hosted the 2024 International Forum for Peer Support at the East Quad, Grangegorman Campus on March 25th.

The event gathered educators worldwide to share best practices and research in peer-supported education. Dr Nevan Bermingham of TU Dublin, Dr Catherine McConnell of University of Brighton, and Lise-Lotte Mörner of the European Centre for Supplemental Instruction co-hosted the event. Over 120 delegates from 40 different HE’s across 19 countries attended in person, with 36 more joining via live stream. Presentations and discussions focused on building peer communities, widening access to university, and enhancing student resilience and wellbeing. Former students of TU Dublin’s Access Foundation Programme acted as ‘TU Dublin Ambassadors,’ recognised for their leadership and peer tutoring roles. Dr Orla McDonagh, Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Humanities, inaugurated the event, spotlighting TU Dublin’s Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) initiative.

PAL Expansion and Impact

The expansion of TU Dublin’s PAL programme has seen a notable increase in progression rates across STEM modules seen as “traditionally difficult”. It has also improved progression rates in STEM modules and student wellbeing. This expanded PAL programme was enabled by NTUTORR funding to equip the Student Leaders with technology to help them create a virtual community of practice that improved tutorial delivery and efficiency. This conference event helped highlight and share the data gathered from our students as to its effectiveness for improving wellbeing, understanding of material, retention and sense of belonging. 

INPAL Network Launch

The event also saw the launch of the new INPAL network (Ireland Network for Peer Assisted Learning). INPAL will share best practice initiatives and research around student-staff partnership in Higher Education from around the island of Ireland. INPAL is the result of a collaborative effort between TU Dublin, ATU and University of Galway. INPAL has quickly expanded to include nine HE’s across Ireland, initiating new initiatives for student co-creation and partnership benefits in education.