Deirdre Hardiman

Dr. Deirdre Hardiman is a Lecturer in the School of Political Science and Sociology within the Discipline of Applied Social Sciences at the University of Galway. Deirdre is Co-director of the BA in Child, Youth and Family: Policy and Practice (GY137), the BA in Community, Youth and Family Studies, and the Diploma in Community Development Practice. She is also a member of UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre.

Deirdre began her professional career within the Centre for Adult Education at the University of Galway, where she coordinated the design and delivery of innovative campus-based, outreach and blended learning part-time programmes. These initiatives were aimed at enhancing access to higher education for adult learners, promoting lifelong learning, and addressing barriers to participation in education. Her teaching methods reflect the values of community education promoting teaching and learning in ways that are varied and accessible for audiences with a very diverse academic history and academic self-esteem. Recognizing and valuing experiential learning is an essential part of this teaching and learning process. With over 30 years of experience promoting both community education and community development initiatives on behalf of the University; nationally and internationally, Deirdre is passionate about the potential of education and community-based learning to bring about positive societal change. Her PhD entitled 'Life Course Learning for Adult Learners in Higher Education' utilized the concept of the 'life course' to examine the learning lives and experiences of part-time adult learners in higher education to enable educational policy and practice to respond to the needs of an increasingly diverse student cohort. 

In 2022 Deirdre was a co-recipient of the inaugural Michael McDonagh Award for Traveller Ally Excellence, presented by Uachtarán na hÉireann, Michael D Higgins. In March 2021 she was jointly awarded the AONTAS National Star Award for advancing Third Level Access and Engagement in recognition of the societal impact of the collaborative project 'Power in Participation' with the Galway Traveller Movement, the Community Action Network (CAN), and Community Education, University of Galway.

Deirdre holds a BA in Sociology and English (NUI, Maynooth), an MA in Community Development (NUI Galway), and a PhD (NUI, Galway). She also holds a PG Cert in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education from the University of Galway.

Deirdre's teaching interests explore how community education can empower individuals and communities to address the challenges people face in their everyday lives so as to inform the future of diverse communities. Other teaching interests include: community development, social justice, life course and lifelong learning, critical pedagogy, andragogy, educational equality, mixed methods social research and the integration of part time and blended learning within the applied social sciences.