Institute for Education, Community and Society (IECS)

The Institute for Education, Community and Society has a strong international reputation in the sociology of education, digital education, education and international development, and children and young people's learning and development.

We use interdisciplinary approaches to inform the understanding of education, teaching and learning across a wide range of formal, informal and non-formal settings. Our work is underpinned by a commitment to a values-led understanding of education.

Offering a vibrant scholarly community that applies critical inter-disciplinary social science research to the broad field of education, the Institute is home to research groups in childhood and youth studies, community education, developmental psychology, higher education and the philosophy of education. It also hosts the Centre for Research in Digital Education; the Centre for Research in Education, Inclusion and Diversity (CREID); and the Centre for Education for Racial Equality in Scotland (CERES).

We are also home to the popular MSc Education that includes five specialist pathways reflecting the expertise across the School. Staff from the Institute are heavily involved in the interdisciplinary research and education work of the new Edinburgh Futures Institute.

We have two online programmes (the internationally innovative MSc in Digital Education and the MSc in Social Justice and Community Action) as well as two well-established professional undergraduate programmes in childhood practice and in learning in communities. 

Study with us

Our Institute for Education, Community and Society provides specialist expertise in a range of programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate level, including our flagship MSc Education with specialist pathways, and programmes taught fully online.

IECS research

Our Institute for Education, Community and Society has an established record of education and critical inter-disciplinary social science research in education studies, education policy, community education, childhood studies and digital education.

IECS staff

Staff in the Institute for Education, Community and Society - reflect the School's long history of education and critical inter-disciplinary social science research in education studies and policy, equity, inclusion and diversity, community education, childhood studies, psychology and professions allied to children's education, development, welfare and wellbeing.

Events

Details of research seminars, conferences and other events held by our Institute for Education, Community and Society.