Welcome to ISCRI

Led by Professor Lord Patel of Bradford OBE, the International School for Communities, Rights and Inclusion (ISCRI)  was established in August 2008 by the merger of six existing academic units – the Centre for Ethnicity and Health, the Institute for Philosophy, Diversity and Mental Health, the Centre for Professional Ethics, the Psychosocial Research Unit, the Centre for Volunteering and Community Action, and Islamic Studies. The International Centre for Sign Languages and Deaf Studies (iSLanDS) joined the school in August 2009.  The Inclusion Institute was established as part of the school to continue and develop the work of the now defunct National Social Inclusion Programme.  

The work of the School is divided between two interdisciplinary Centres:  The Centre for Psychosocial Research and Wellbeing and the Centre for Social Policy and Community Engagement (ISCRI Centres).  The School also supports three Institutes: The Inclusion Institute; the Institute for Global Youth Leadership and Community Action; and the iSLanDS Institute.

Centre for Psychosocial Research and Wellbeing

The Centre for Psychosocial Research and Wellbeing is led by Professor Chris Heginbotham; the Centre is made up of the following disciplines:

• Philosophy  - the School runs undergraduate and postgraduate philosophy programmes, including environmental philosophy (MA in Values and Environment by Distance Learning).  The Philosophy section is headed by Professor Tim Thornton.
• Philosophy, Diversity and Mental Health led by Karen Newbigging.
• Ageing and Ethnicity including partnership work with the Policy Research Institute on Ageing and Ethnicity (PRIAE).  This section is led by Professor Ajit Shah and Professor Naina Patel.
• Psychosocial Research Unit (PRU) led by Professor Lynn Foggett.
• Substance Use led by Professor Jane Fountain

Centre for Social Policy and Community Engagement

The Centre for Social Policy and Community Engagement is led by Dr Jon Bashford and Jez Buffin and the work of the Centre includes the following disciplines:

• Community Engagement  - the School has an outstanding track record in community engagement particularly with minority and seldom heard groups building on the work of the previous Centre for Ethnicity and Health. The Community Engagement section is led by Robert McDonald and Kate Davies.
• Equalities and Diversity - learning, teaching and research in the field of equality, diversity and human rights which enshrines the core underpinning values of the School.  The secton is led by Chijioke Obasi.
• Criminal Justice System  led by Kate Davies. 
• Islamic Studies including a joint combined honours course and various Certificate courses.  Led by Ebrahim Bassa and Dr. Mahmood Chandia.
• Communities, Rights and Inclusion Programme CORIIN a major mental health equalities and diversity project based in Leicester and led by Dr. Jon Bashford.
• Extremism and Cohesion led by Robert McDonald and with a major emphasis on the study of the prevention of violent extremism.
• Burnley UCLan campus developments.

Institute for Global Youth Leadership and Community Action

The Institute for Global Youth Leadership is led by Dr. Alethea Melling and incorporates community leadership and the V Action National Volunteering Programme.  Originally known as the Centre for Volunteering, the team has worked with a number of partners enabling Uclan to provide over 5,000 young people and students across Lancashire and Cumbria with volunteering and community action opportunities;  the work of the Institute is underpinned by foundation level and undergraduate and postgraduate level degree programmes.

Inclusion Institute

The Inclusion Institute is led by Professor David Morris and is taking forward and developing the work of the former National Social Inclusion Programme (NSIP).  The Institute is based in London and at Uclan and aims to be a national centre of excellence for learning, evidence innovation and practice on inclusion.

iSLanDS Institute

The iSLanDS (International Centre for Sign Language and Deaf Studies) Institute is led by Professor Ulrike Zeshan and joined ISCRI in August 2009.  The Institute is engaged in research and teaching in the areas of sign languages and deaf studies and contributes to the empowerment of deaf communities around the world.

Learning and Teaching in the School is led by Christine Brown

Business and International Development is led by Ebrahim Bassa

School Administration is led by Eileen Jackson

Contact: 01772 892780

The full staff list can be found at Staff.