MyMachine Co-Founder Piet Grymonprez was asked to participate in the opening panel of Burning Questions in Finland. Burning Questions is a Oulu University student-led global event.

This year’s theme of the event is “Accessibility: Building Education Towards a Sustainable World”. Accessibility in education is a multifaceted issue. Dr. Barbara Stauber and Dr. Marcelo Parreira do Amaral (2015) divide accessibility into four levels: socioeconomic, institutional, discourse and representation, and individuality. It encompasses issues related to knowledge capital, sustainability, physical access, inclusivity, participation, and social capital. Dr. Ann Fudge (2020) describes accessibility as an ongoing process that continuously cycles, through 3 steps: (1) Anticipating barriers, (2) finding ways to mediate these barriers, thus (3) to enhance access for all.

It was a privilege for MyMachine to be featured alongside Magaga Enos, Tembea Academy/BEADS for Education/HundrED (Kenya), Kalypso Filippou, Higher Education/International Students/Mobilities/Post-Graduate Supervision (Cyprus, Finland), Maija Karhunen, Culture Services/Inclusivity and Equity/Dancer & Performer (Finland). In addition, the global audience has risen the bar with thought provoking questions.

Burning Questions invites us to pursue sustainable solutions that lead to equitable learning spaces and places, both physical and cognitive, for all students regardless of ability, neurodiversity, race, religion, gender, location, or economic background.