Kyra Araneta (she/her) is a Lecturer in Student Partnership and Social Justice in the Centre for Education (CETI) and Teaching Innovation at the University of Westminster. Prior to her role in the CETI, she completed an MA in International Relations whilst working as the Student Partnership Coordinator on the Pedagogies for Social Justice project (PSJ).
As a continuation of this work in her new appointment, Kyra hosts the PSJ podcast, co-creates with students, and contributes to the field through forthcoming publications and conference presentations. Her research foci and interests include critical race and decolonial pedagogies, social justice education, intersectionality, and the role of student-staff partnerships in fostering ethical learning environments. She has been successful in funding applications including from the Quintin Hogg Trust and the Centre for Social Justice Research. She will co-chair the first international Students as Partners Roundtable conference in the UK in 2025.
As a mixed woman of African-Asian descent, Kyra dedicates her praxis to challenging contemporary forms of coloniality in academia, centring underrepresented and marginalised voices, and engaging with inclusive educational practices that empower diverse communities.