Course on Inclusive Education Brings Together Future Teachers in Bratislava
During the last week of January 2026, Comenius University Bratislava welcomed twenty motivated future teachers from five universities of the ENLIGHT alliance to take part in an intensive course on Inclusive Education. The course was designed for students in teacher education programmes with the aim of preparing them to work sensitively and effectively with the diverse needs of pupils.
Each of the five in-person days consisted of three workshops in which lecturers introduced participants to key concepts of inclusive education: a sense of belonging (Cohen, 2022), relationship-rich education (Felten and Lambert, 2020), the classroom as a safe and democratic space (bell hooks, 2002), and inclusive approaches to assessment. Discussions and interactive activities were intended to support reflection and the practical application of these ideas in participants’ own future teaching practice.
The course was led by Doctor Gabriela Pleschová together with her colleagues from Comenius University in Bratislava – Doctor Agnes Simon, Doctor Ivana Juríková, and Doctor Simona Bajáková – and by Doctor Mahshid Alvandi from the University of Groningen. Together they created a supportive international environment for joint learning and the sharing of experiences. The curriculum was also co-developed with the involvement of Doctor Angelika Thielsch from the University of Göttingen.
The course received highly positive feedback from students, who rated it 9 out of 10 in an anonymous survey. Participants particularly appreciated the discussions that formed part of every workshop, during which they could “hear the opinions of people from different countries and experience the international dimension of teaching.” One student highlighted the strong link between the course and practice:
“The course provided us with a wide range of inclusive teaching strategies that we can use in our future pedagogical practice. The excursion to the Rozmanitá school was one of the most valuable elements for me, as it allowed us to see the practical application of these strategies directly in the field.”
In February, students will complete their final assignments and take part in an online meeting where they will jointly evaluate and formally conclude the course.