The Power of Listening in Co-Creation and Decolonisation

Description

Listening plays a critical role in higher education, particularly in efforts to decolonise knowledge and promote co-creation. Often, conflict in academic and professional spaces arises when individuals feel unheard, leading to frustration and disengagement. By concentrating on what is being said and reflecting back to ensure understanding, educators and students create spaces where multiple voices are valued. In diverse and intercultural settings, differences in worldview and experience often make it difficult to fully grasp another person’s standpoint. However, taking the time to listen attentively signals genuine interest and fosters mutual trust. This is particularly significant in decolonising higher education, where historically marginalised voices must be heard and acknowledged. Listening enables empathy, self-reflection, and shared meaning-making, which are crucial for collaborative problem-solving, inclusive decision-making, and meaningful staff-student engagement. Ultimately, building a truly co-created, decolonised educational environment requires going beyond hearing words; it involves giving full attention, avoiding interruptions, and withholding judgment, thus leading to developing equitable relationships, expanding perspectives, and opening new ways of being and doing.
Alongside discussion of the importance of listening in our efforts to decolonise our supporting material, our classes and our curricula, the presentation will offer two examples of how this has been enacted in the context of medical and biomedical education. The Authors will discuss ways to initiate similar processes and practices in your own areas.

Period	21 Nov 2025
Event title	Irish Association of Law Teachers Annual Conference 2025: Access To justice
Event type	Conference
Location	Derry, United KingdomShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International