The University of Cyprus successfully hosted the GLOBED Winter School for the Cohort 8 edition. This year, the focus was set on Gender, Intersectionality, and Education, introducing the main concepts and debates around the topic. The lectures, carried out for recognized experts, allowed pupils to reflect and deepen their knowledge on the role of gender and intersectionality in the field of education.
E8 students were reunited for the Winter School after following different study paths in Bremen, Glasgow or Cyprus. They spent the last week of February attending the lectures and exploring the sun-kissed Mediterranean island. The event officially started on Monday 24th with an immersive guided tour to Limassol that allowed the students to learn about the country’s culture and history.
The first day of lectures started powerfully with professor Christina Kaili’s masterclass. Drawing from feminist standpoint theory, the session introduced students to the debates surrounding gender as a universal concept, the different axes of difference such as class, sex, gender, race, ethnicity, and ability, and the questioning of whether a shared feminist framework is possible. Pupils had the time to discuss their thoughts and reflections arising from the readings and the presentation.
The lectures continued the following days. On Wednesday, professor Miranda Christou taught the masterclass about Gender, Sexuality and Educational debates, on which she discussed with a critical gaze current matters such as the ‘female advantages’ or major controversies in sex education through the lens of anti-gender campaigns and the appeal for traditional forms of masculinity and femininity. The session was also followed by students’ insights and perspectives. After the presentation, the afternoon was time for a visit across the country’s demilitarised zone guided by Marios Epaminondas. The day ended with a joyful dinner with the master’s professors.
Thursday 27th began with professor Josie Christodoulou, the Cyprus Government’s Commissioner for Gender Equality. She presented the efforts undertaken to mainstream gender in the main policy areas of the government. Through some examples of specific targeted actions, the lecture provided the students with a broader view about education and gender policies.
Finally, the last day arrived. The morning session was in charge of professor Susana Pavlou, who familiarized students with the work of Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies (MIGS), a local NGO that works to promote women’s rights and gender equality. The final masterclass was conducted that same afternoon by professor Helen Seitzer, who carried out a presentation entitled From Principles to Practice: The Global Diffusion of Educational Rights and Equal Access to bring the program to a perfect close.
Other relevant activities were the thesis workshops, where students had the opportunity to present their dissertation initial progress and get constructive feedback from academics and peers. These activities helped them gain communicative skills in presenting their ideas and findings. In addition, pupils had the privilege to attend professor Charalambos Charalambous’ writing workshop, which was very useful to prepare for their thesis writing process.
Overall, the Winter School was enriching and intellectually stimulating for all the E8 students, who are currently working on their dissertations.
Find the whole programme of the 2025 GLOBED Winter School 2025 E8 – Gender, Intersectionality and Education.
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