Diversifying the Curriculum: A Framework for Change through Staff-Student Collaboration

The Diversifying the Curriculum project at South East Technological University (SETU) was a staff-student collaboration focused on the diversification of the curriculum of a final-year English module on the BA Arts programme.The project was funded by N-TUTORR and comprised two lecturing staff and four students who worked together to reshape the module content and assessment according to principles of decolonisation, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), and the facilitation of safe spaces in education.Through this process, we sought to address inequalities and develop an inclusive curriculum that represented diverse voices, identities, and perspectives.Decolonising the curriculum involves critically examining how colonial histories and systemic inequalities have shaped knowledge production and dissemination, aiming to create a more inclusive and accurate educational experience.In order to address the power dynamics involved in knowledge production, we believe it is important to think about the ways in which students and staff can become active partners and collaborators in the design and implementation of curricula.The project we present here underlined the power of the student voice in transformational curriculum design and highlighted the need for flexibility and systemic support in the facilitation of vital reform.