I’ve just returned from an incredible two days at the UK and Ireland Computing Education Research Conference (UKICER 2025), held from September 4th to 5th in the historic city of Edinburgh, Scotland. UKICER is a premier forum for researchers and practitioners to share and discuss the latest advances in computer science education, making it the perfect venue for showcasing LISDA’s impactful work.
My main reason for attending was to present our poster, “A Cross-National Comparison of Computing Students’ Sense of Belonging in Ireland and Scotland.” The presentation began with a rapid 1-minute lightning talk to pitch the project to the entire audience, which was a thrilling challenge! This was followed by an engaging poster session where I had in-depth discussions and received valuable, constructive feedback.
I immersed myself in the entire conference programme. I attended fascinating paper sessions that showcased the latest computing education research, was inspired by thought-provoking keynote addresses, and participated in hands-on workshops. The conference dinner was also a fantastic opportunity for me to network and socialise with researchers from around the world in a more relaxed setting.
As my first conference outside of Ireland, it was both a professionally enriching and personally unforgettable adventure. I’m so grateful for the experience and have returned with fresh perspectives and great memories of exploring the beautiful city of Edinburgh.
– Shamima