Introduction: Core Principles and Practices

This introductory chapter takes as its starting point the fundamental assumption that compassionate pedagogies should be at the heart of higher education and universities of the future. The plurality is because there are potentially many representations of compassionate pedagogies, but these are not necessarily ‘new’ forms. They develop from existing critical, inter/disciplinary and professional practice pedagogies that play explicit attention to the core concept of the pedagogy of compassion. Following the COVID-19 pandemic this now extends beyond the classroom (virtual and/or physical) to encompass the multitude of places and spaces where learning occurs. The chapter sets out principles for creating practice-based knowledge and new ways of knowing. The higher education policy themes that this collection addresses are: (i) belonging; (ii) caring; (iii) emotion; (iv) human relationships; (v) kindness; and (vi) respect. These themes will be used to weave a coherent policy narrative throughout this volume. The chapter concludes with summaries of chapters which follow, which are grouped into three parts. Part I: Pedagogies of compassion—insights from practice; Part II: Theories and models of compassionate pedagogy; and Part III: Critical reflections on practice.