Friday the 13th may be unlucky for some, but for our Content and Services Manager, Emma Hudson, it was a day to remember as she attended the Publishing Professionals Freelancers’ Awayday in Oxford for the first time.
This annual event brings together freelancers, publishers and editorial suppliers from across the English Language Teaching and Education publishing sectors. It offers an ideal opportunity to connect with new and long-standing contacts, whilst also gaining insights into the latest challenges and advancements shaping the industry’s future.
One standout moment was a presentation from Avallain on the advancements of AI and accessibility within their platform – an important consideration with the European Accessibility Act coming into force in 2025. As Westchester Education has recently become Avallain-certified, it was fantastic to see the continued enhancements we can use when supporting our clients with their digital learning projects.
The lightning talks were another highlight, providing fresh perspectives on key topics, from the principles of instructional design and the unique challenges of authoring STEM-focused ELT materials to conversations around decolonising the curriculum and strengths-based teaching approaches.
Sustainability was a key topic, with speaker Cecília Lemos Harmer of Cambridge University Press & Assessment reminding us that sustainability has social and economic pillars, as well as environmental. We were encouraged to explore how we can ensure the content we create promotes sustainability, whilst also considering ways to make the publishing process itself more sustainable as well.
Networking was a big focus of the day. It is always rewarding to meet freelancers and colleagues in person, especially those who have contributed to our projects over the years. The Networking Tips and Tricks session offered practical advice that was put into use straight away. We came away from the day with a growing list of new connections to reach out to – hopefully leading to exciting collaborations in the near future.