Congress Legacy
Members of ICSEI come from all corners of the earth, from diverse settings and hold a variety of perspectives, with representation from policy makers, practitioners and scholars. ICSEI conferences generally attract people from over 50 countries and have been organised by local members and committees around the world.
Redefining Education: Purpose and Possibility.
Melbourne University, Australia
10th-15th February, 2025
ICSEI 2025 was a forum for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners around to world to exchange knowledge, ideas, and solutions to redefine education in a fragile world. This conference built on what have been presented in previous conferences by shifting the focus on the purpose of education and possibilities new emerging possibilities offer to transform schools. ICSEI 2025 invited participants to present new research, policy analysis, and practical innovation in paper sessions, collaborative symposia, roundtable (yarning) discussions, and networking sessions that were guided by the following conference sub-themes:
- Rethinking the purpose of education in a world in transition
- Connecting the global south and global north through research, policy and practice
- Education and the fifth industrial revolution: the interface between humans and machines
- Promoting diversity, inclusivity, and sustainability in transforming education
Keynotes and Invited Guests
- Jim Watterston Opening Keynote
- Martin Westwell & Anam Javed Morning Dialogue
- Gert Biesta The Point of Education in an Age of Distraction
- Linda Darling-Hammond & Larissa McLean Davies Redefining Education: The Need for School
- Andy Hargreaves Morning Dialogue with Andy Hargreaves and invited experts
- Sharon Davis Aboriginal English: A Non-Negotiable for Good Teaching Practice
- Jiafang Lu The Leadership Challenges of Learning from Another System: Observations from Hong Kong
Quality Professional Education for Enhanced School Effectiveness and Improvement: International Perspectives and Approaches
Dublin, Ireland
January 8-12, 2024
The ICSEI 2024 conference in Dublin explored international perspectives on the role and impact of quality professional education in enhancing school effectiveness and improvement. The conference highlighted the crucial roles of teachers and school leaders, supported by a growing body of evidence on the positive impact of research, policy, and practice collaborations.
The theme celebrated the synergy between initial teacher education and ongoing professional development. High-quality teaching and learning were supported through various means, including induction programs, mentoring, professional learning networks, data teams, school-university partnerships, knowledge mobilization, collaborative school improvement planning, and policies that promoted teacher professionalism. Multiple stakeholders, such as education scholars, researchers, teachers, school leaders, professional organizations, community leaders, professional development providers, and policymakers, contributed to the cumulative impact on quality professional education.
The conference explored diverse perspectives and approaches to professional education and its impact on teaching and learning globally. In addition to the main theme, several sub-themes were identified, including:
- Evolving research and evidence base for leadership education and capacity building
- Collaborative and sustainable improvement leadership
- Leveraging research and data for inquiry, innovation, and professional learning
- Engaged dialogue between politicians, policymakers, researchers, educators, and the school community
- Policy and practice learning to support teacher and school leader development
- Implications of the COVID-19 crisis on education systems
- Promoting equity, inclusion, diversity, social justice, global citizenship, and environmental sustainability in schools and education systems
- This comprehensive approach aimed to foster a deeper understanding and implementation of effective professional education practices worldwide.
Keynotes:
- Emer Smyth: “School effects on broader adolescent development: evidence from Ireland.”
- Mohammed Elmeski: “Leading for learning effectiveness and improvement: Examples of promising synergies from Africa.”
- Carol Campbell: “The quest for humanity in educational improvement: professional learning for student learning.”
- Claire Shewbridge: “What if…. We create the space to think collectively about the future of teaching?
Capturing the ICSEI Community in Dublin.
Educational Systems Learning Under Challenging Circumstances: Global Perspectives, Collaboration and Local Solutions for Reimagining Schooling.
Vina Del Mar, Chile
January 10-13, 2023
ICSEI 2023 was held in Chile, and like the rest of the world, it faced the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, forcing the population to adapt to a new reality where work, study, and daily interactions occurred virtually under extensive lockdowns and social distancing. The effects of school closures in Chile and other countries are now being researched, requiring a global, collaborative, and multidisciplinary approach to understand them fully. Covid-19 accelerated the need to create, test, and apply new solutions for a changing and unpredictable world, compelling education professionals to learn how to meet these challenges.
In this uncertain context, many challenges for the educational system had to be confronted, especially in a country with disparate realities reflected in the educational system. The system was marked by differences between public and private schools, rural and urban areas, and students with varying parental education levels. Additionally, differences in technological access and communication difficulties resulted in disparate needs among educational communities. Addressing these challenges required innovation and a systemic perspective on inequality.
Adapting to the new reality was not enough; envisioning new possibilities was essential. This involved working locally from a global perspective and collaborating across countries with educational communities to identify solutions that responded to local demands. Only then could an education be delivered where all students could engage in meeting the needs of the 21st century.
Keynotes:
- Mel Ainscow: “Promoting inclusion and equity in education: lessons from international experience.”
- Ellen Goldring: “Performance Evaluation and Feedback for Professional Growth: Tools and Approaches for Continuous Improvement.”
- Alejandra Mizala: “The search for equity, inclusion and quality in Chilean education.”
- David Hung: “The Future Ready Leadership for Learning: Insights from Singapore.”
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