Maria Slowey

PROF

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Maria Slowey is Emeritus Professor in the School of Policy and Practice and Founding Director of the Higher Education Research Centre (HERC), Institute of Education. In DCU, from 2004 to 2008, she also served as Vice President (Learning Innovation) and Registrar. Prior to returning to Ireland she held senior roles in universities in Scotland and England, including: Glasgow University (1992-2004) where she was Professor of Adult and Continuing Education, Vice-Dean Research and Founding Director of the Centre for Research and Development in Adult and Lifelong Learning (CRADALL), and Northumbria University (1984-1992) as Senior Lecturer, subsequently Head of the Centre for Continuing Education and Widening Access.

Her research and policy activities focus on comparative higher education and sociological analysis of equality and access to higher education and lifelong learning opportunities over the life course. She has published extensively on these matters and acted as expert advisor and committee member to a range of bodies and associations including: UNESCO, OECD, EC, European Universities Association, Council of Europe, European Training Foundation, the Scottish Parliament Committee on Lifelong Learning, the Scottish Independent Committee of Inquiry on Student Finance, the UK RAE (Research Assessment Exercise) Panel for Continuing Education, several committees of HEFCE and SHEFC (Higher Education Funding Councils for England and Scotland), the Strategic Research Board of the British Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Irish higher education CAO (Central Applications Office), and the Asia-Europe Ministerial Meeting (ASEM) Lifelong Learning Hub. Maria is active in relevant learned societies in which she has held elected positions including: Vice-Chair of Council and Chair of the R&D Committee of the Society for Research in Higher Education (SRHE), Executive member of UALL (Universities Association of Lifelong Learning) and Vice-Chair of the Committee for Social Sciences of the Royal Irish Academy (RIA).  She is a founder member of the International Advisory Board of the Higher Education Reform (HER) network.

She is Senior Editor of the leading international journal, Studies in Higher Education. Other Editorships and Editorial Boards include: Founding Editor of the Scottish Journal of Adult and Continuing Education (subsequently the Journal of Adult and Continuing Education); Studies in the Education of Adults; The Adult Learner;  Springer Lifelong Learning Series; and, she is a  reviewer for the other major journals in the field of higher education and lifelong learning.

She has held visiting positions at international centres of excellence including: CSHE, Nagoya University (2018); Stanford University, Graduate School of Education (2017); Florence University, School of Education, Italy (2016 and 2017); Oxford University, UK (Kellogg College 1999); DAAD (German Academic Exchange) Guest Professorship, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany (2011); CSHE Melbourne University, Australia (2009); Cambridge University (Homerton College, 2009); and University of British Columbia, Centre for Policy Studies in HE, Canada (2008).

Maria is an elected Fellow of the (British) Academy of Social Sciences (FAcSS); Member of the International Adult Education Hall of Fame (HoF0; recipient of the UCC Bertram Windel Award for contribution to International Lifelong Learning. She currently holds Visiting positions in the Universities of Glasgow and Florence.

Book

Year Publication
2024 Slowey, M. and Taylor, R. (eds). (2024) Academic freedom: core value or elite privilege?. London: Routledge. [Link]
2023 Slowey, M., Hinzen, H., Olomewa, M. and Osborne, M. (eds). (2023) Adult education and social justice. Florence: University of Florence Press. [DOI]
2020 Slowey, M., Schuetze, H.G., and Zubrzycki, T. (eds). (2020) Inequality, Innovation and Reform in Higher Education: Global demographic and social challenges of migration and ageing populations. Dordrecht: Springer. [DOI]
2016 Slowey, M. (ed). (2016) Comparative Adult Education and Learning. Authors and Texts. Florence: University of Firenze Press. [DOI]

Book Chapter

Year Publication
2017 Slowey, M. (with R. Pritchard) (2017) 'Resilience: A high price for survival? Cross-border perspectives on the impact of austerity on Irish higher education' In: Debating Austerity in Ireland: crisis, experience and recovery. Dublin : Royal Irish Academy.
2015 Slowey, M. (2015) 'Intergenerational equality and higher education: Towards an age-friendly higher education?' In: Higher Education Reform Looking Back Looking Forward. [Link] [DOI]
2015 Maria Slowey (with E. Murphy & Y. Politis) (2015) 'Contributing to an evidence base for the enhancement of the experiences and outcomes of mature students at an Irish university' In: B. Culum, Y. Politis and F.M.Ribeiro(Eds.). New voices in Higher Education Research and Scholarship, B. Culum, Y. Politis and F.M.Ribeiro (eds). Hershey, PA : IGI Global.
2015 Slowey, M.; Kozina, E. (2015) 'Perspectives on professional development: The voice of Irish academics' In: Forming Recruiting and Managing the Academic Profession. [Link] [DOI]
2013 Slowey, Maria (2013) 'Institutional Alliances: Passing Policy Fad or New Organizational Model' In: P. Axelrod, R.D.Trilokekar, T. Shanahan and R. Wellen(Eds.). Making Policy in Turbulent Times: Challenges and prospects for higher education. Montreal : McGill University Press.
2012 Slowey, M.; Schuetze, H.G. (2012) 'Afterword: A look around the corner' In: Global Perspectives on Higher Education and Lifelong Learners. [Link] [DOI]
2012 Slowey, M. (2012) 'Ireland: Lifelong learning and higher education in Ireland: turbulent times' In: Global Perspectives on Higher Education and Lifelong Learners. [Link] [DOI]
2012 Slowey, Maria (with W. de Vries) (2012) 'Concluding Reflections. Between Humboldt and Newman: Marketization and Global Contributions in Contemporary Higher Education' In: H.G.Schuetze; G. Alvarez(Eds.). State and Market in Higher Education Reforms Trends, Policies and Experiences in Comparative Perspective. Rotterdam : Sense Academic Publishers.
2012 Slowey, M.; Kozina, E. (2012) 'New knowledge - New learning? Curriculum change in higher education and academic engagement in the Bologna process in Ireland' In: Handbook of Research on Didactic Strategies and Technologies for Education Incorporating Advancements. [Link] [DOI]
2012 Slowey, Maria (2012) 'Lifelong learning and higher education in Ireland 2000-2010: boom to bust' In: M.Slowey; H.G.Schuetze(Eds.). Global Perspectives on Higher Education and Lifelong Learners. London and New York : Routledge.
2012 Slowey, M.; Schuetze, H.G. (2012) 'All change - no change?: Lifelong learners and higher education revisited' In: Global Perspectives on Higher Education and Lifelong Learners. [Link] [DOI]
2010 Slowey, M. (2010) 'University adult continuing education: The extra-mural tradition revisited' In: International Encyclopedia of Education. [Link] [DOI]
2007 Slowey, Maria (2007) 'Adults in higher education - the search for a policy learning journey' In: A.Tuckett(Eds.). Participation and the pursuit of equality: essays in adult learning, widening participation and achievement. Leicester : National Institute of Adult Continuing Education.
2004 Slowey, Maria (2004) 'Changing and Persisting Patterns: the public and lifelong learning in Scotland' In: N.Sargant and F. Aldridge(Eds.). Adult Learning and Social Division: a Persistent Pattern. Leicester : National Institute of Adult Continuing Educatio.
2003 Slowey, Maria (2003) 'Higher education and civil society' In: M.Slowey and D.Watson(Eds.). Higher Education and the Lifecourse. Buckingham : SRHE/Open University Press.
2002 Slowey, Maria (2002) 'Evidence based or evidence ignored? Progress of the Lifelong Learning Agenda in Scotland' In: Lifelong Learning and Higher Education: The Next Phase. Cambridge : Universities Association for Continuing Education (UACE).
2002 Slowey, Maria (2002) 'Changing and Persisting Patterns: The Public and Lifelong Learning in Scotland' In: N. SARGANT and F. ALDRIDCE(Eds.). ADULT LEARNING AND SOCIAL DIVISION: A PERSISTENT PATTERN. England and Wales : National Institute of Adult and Continuing Education (NIACE).
2001 Slowey, Maria (2001) 'Higher Education and New Knowledge Forms A new role for a reconceptualised liberal adult education?' In: Liberal Adult Education: Towards a Contemporary Paradigm. Cambridge : Universities Association for Continuing Education (UACE).
2000 Slowey, Maria (2000) 'Traditions and new directions in higher education: a comparative perspective on non-ttraditional students and lifelong learners' In: H.G. Schuetze and M.Slowey(Eds.). Higher Education and Lifelong Learners. New York : Routledge.
2000 Slowey, Maria (2000) 'The United Kingdom: redefining the non-traditional student: equity and lifelong learning in British higher education 1985-2000' In: H.G. Schuetze and M.Slowey(Eds.). Higher Education and Lifelong Learners. New York : Routledge.
1998 Slowey, Maria (1998) 'Is research quality measurable? Reflections on the implications of the research assessment exercise for continuing education' In: E. Gerver(Eds.). Continuing Education in the Research Assessment Exercise 1996: Problems and Prospects for Strategic Development. Leeds : Universities Association for Continuing Education (UACE).

Peer Reviewed Journal

Year Publication
2015 Murphy, Emma; Politis, Yurgos; Slowey, Maria (2015) 'Contributing to an Evidence Base for the Enhancement of the Experiences and Outcomes of Mature Students at an Irish University'. MULTICULTURAL AWARENESS AND TECHNOLOGY IN HIGHER EDUCATION: GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES, . [DOI]
2016 Talmage, C.A.; Mark, R.; Slowey, M.; Knopf, R.C. (2016) 'Age Friendly Universities and engagement with older adults: moving from principles to practice'. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 35 . [Link] [DOI]
2009 Slowey, Maria (2009) 'Guest Editorial'. JOURNAL OF ADULT & CONTINUING EDUCATION, 15 .
2009 Slowey, Maria (with M. Morgan) (2009) 'Higher Education in the broader educational landscape - widening the perspective on equity and access in Ireland'. JOURNAL OF ADULT & CONTINUING EDUCATION, 15 :204-219.
2007 Slowey, Maria (2007) 'Accountability- a fair price for autonomy? The impact of new quality systems on higher education reform'. UNIVERSAL ACCESS IN THE INFORMATION SOCIETY ISNN : 1615, 35 :83-94.
2006 Slowey, Maria (with T. Healy) (2006) 'Social exclusion and adult engagement in lifelong learning some comparative implications for European states based on Ireland's Celtic Tiger experience'. COMPARE: A JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE EDUCATION, 36 :359-378.
2004 Maria Slowey (2004) 'Swimming with the (main) stream? The relationship of adult education and the lifelong learning agenda in post-devolution UK'. THE ADULT LEARNER: THE JOURNAL OF ADULT AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION IN IRELAND, 2004 :27-41.
2002 Slowey, Maria (with H. Schuetze) (2002) 'Participation and Exclusion- a comparative analysis of non-traditional and lifelong learners in systems of mass higher education'. 44 :309-327.
2024 Heribert Hinzen; Maria Slowey; Huu Phuoc Khau (2024) 'Learning from the past for the future: Signposts and landmark anniversaries in adult learning and education'. International Review of Education, . [Link] [DOI]

Published Report

Year Publication
2015 OECD Review Team and M. Slowey (2015) Education in Indonesia: Rising to the Challenge. OECD, .
2015 Slowey, M. (2015) Recognition of Prior Learning: International Experiences. Analytic Capacities Development Program, .
2014 Slowey, M and Zozina, E. (2014) Voices of Academics in Ireland: Perspectives on Professional Development. All Ireland Society for Higher Education, .
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