First cohort to graduate from MIC’s MEdLWE pictured here with course leaders at MIC’s recent conferring ceremonies in October 2021.
Mary Immaculate College’s M Ed in Leadership of Wellbeing in Education (MEdLWE) has been endorsed by the Centre for School Leadership (CSL) in recognition of the programme’s innovation and relevance to the current Irish Education policy and practice.
The unique two-year part-time Level 9 programme, which was launched by MIC in 2019, aims to provide graduates with the enhanced leadership and management skills required to promote wellbeing in education settings. It focuses on empowering participants to understand and adapt their roles in fostering the wellbeing of students, colleagues and the wider school community. This focus resonates strongly with the moral imperative of school leadership outlined by the CSL, namely the improvement of learning outcomes and wellbeing for students and school communities.
Now in its third year, the MEdLWE programme has been gaining momentum in terms of profile and participation and was recently commended by the Minister for Further & Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris TD as he marked the celebration of the first graduating class from the programme. According to Minister Harris: “This is the only programme of its type in this country and it is my hope that more Higher Education Institutes will follow suit and will incorporate wellbeing into their education”.
Welcoming the CSL’s endorsement of the programme was the Dean of Education at MIC, Professor Emer Ring, who said: “The M Ed in Leadership of Wellbeing in Education has enchanced the profile of MIC, particularly in the context of promoting wellbeing. Wellbeing has been a key strategic goal for us over the years and is evident in our Healthy Campus initiatives, our engagement with the Active School Flag and Smarter Travel, our commitment to Global Citizenship Education and Sustainability and our focus on wellbeing in the Leadership for INClusion in the Early Years (LINC) Programme. The MEdLWE is another example of our work in the area of wellbeing and I would like to acknowledge Dr Carol O’Sullivan’s innovative and pioneering work in establishing the programme.”
According to Dr Carol O’Sullivan: “This important endorsement from the Centre for School Leadership brings many benefits to both the MEdLWE and the CSL. We operate with a shared vision and I look forward to consolidating links with the CSL and working with them into the future. I also want to acknowledge the work of the board who planned, designed and developed this programme and whose continued commitment to review and evaluation is a demonstration of their dedication to its success.”
Head of the Department of Learning, Society and Religious Education (LSRE) at MIC, Dr Maurice Harmon, commented: “While this programme falls under the Department of LSRE, the true interdisciplinary nature of the programme and its potential in linking departments and research interests must be commended. Under the vision and stewardship of Dr O’Sullivan, the progamme is a cross-college initiative that also involves the wider community.”
In its endorsement of the programme, the CSL commended the structure, organisation and design of the programme and the innovative and creative approach to teaching, learning and assessment. It also commended the incremental nature of the programme and the clear links with national policy on leadership development in the context of wellbeing.
