Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB) is proud to announce its adoption of the ALTITUDE Charter, a sector-wide initiative aimed at strengthening inclusive education and training opportunities for all learners across the Further Education and Training (FET) sector.
The ALTITUDE Charter, developed following ALTITUDE Project, which was funded by the HEA under PATH 4 is an extensive cross sectoral collaboration involving six national agencies, fifteen higher education (HE) institutions and six Education and Training Board (ETB) representatives. The project team comprised of fifty-two individuals from these institutions with a broad range of roles and universal design expertise. The Charter represents a shared commitment to building accessible, inclusive learning environments. Grounded in the principles of equity and universal design, the Charter outlines a vision where all learners—regardless of ability—can thrive, belong, and reach their full potential.
Serving as a practical framework for embedding inclusion at all levels, the Charter is structured around four key pillars:
- Learning, Teaching & Assessment
- Supports, Services & Social Engagement
- An Timpeallacht Fhisiciúil
- Digital Environment
Each pillar contains clear goals and actionable steps to eliminate barriers and embed inclusive practices across FET provision.
To mark this important milestone, LOETB was honoured to welcome Dara Ryder, Chief Executive of AHEAD, as keynote speaker at a dedicated FET Staff Gathering held on Thursday, 16 October 2025. In a special session focused on inclusive practice and shared responsibility, Dara commended LOETB’s leadership:
“I’d like to extend a huge congratulations to Laois and Offaly ETB on their adoption of the ALTITUDE Charter today. The huge staff event held to mark this adoption and the world cafe sessions held on how to further embed universal design (UD) right across their FET provision, is a strong symbol of LOETB’s commitment to an ‘Inclusion is Everyone’s Business’ approach. I look forward to supporting the ETB’s journey to more firmly insert a UD approach into it’s systems, policies and procedures in the years ahead, and celebrating the transformation that will bring to the leaner experience over time.”
LOETB’s adoption of the Charter coincides with LOETB Inclusion Week, a celebration of diversity and equality that features a wide range of events across the region. Since its launch in 2021, Inclusion Week has grown significantly, with over 60 events agus 3,300 participants in 2024. Demonstrating its sustained commitment to inclusive practice and consistent learner experience, LOETB appointed an Oifigeach Rochtana, invested in the development of Sensory Rooms in FET Centres, and continues to embed universal design (UD) principles across its services and supports.
Speaking at the occasion, Joe Cunningham, Chief Executive of LOETB, said:
“LOETB is proud to support the Altitude Charter and to work towards a system where inclusion is not an add-on, but a foundation. We thank Dara Ryder for his inspiring address to our FET staff and for the continued partnership between AHEAD and the education and training boards. Together, we are making meaningful progress toward a more inclusive FET sector.”
Inclusion is not just a policy—it’s a practice, a value, and a promise to every learner
