On December 10, CeiED and Universidade Lusófona welcomed Professor Heidi Harju-Luukkainen, Director of the Education Unit at the University of Jyväskylä (Finland). Internationally recognised for her extensive scientific work in the fields of Teacher Education, Educational Assessment, and Inclusive Education, Heidi is the author of hundreds of publications and a frequent keynote speaker at major academic events worldwide.

Her visit provided a unique opportunity for the CeiED academic community to engage with one of Europe’s leading experts in teacher training and the professional development of educators — an area in which Finland remains a global benchmark.

Professor Heidi Harju-Luukkainen is a Full Professor of Education at the University of Jyväskylä and also holds academic positions at Nord University (Norway) and Southern Cross University (Australia). She currently serves as Vice Director of the Kokkola University Consortium Chydenius, where she oversees teacher education programmes, in-service teacher training, and doctoral programmes.

With experience at internationally renowned universities — including UCLA, USC, the University of Gothenburg, and the University of Helsinki — her academic career spans six countries and around 20 universities.

Over more than 15 years in academic leadership roles, she has coordinated the development of educational programmes across Europe, the United States, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. She has also led academic well-being initiatives, contributing to the creation of one of Finland’s most recognised university environments in terms of student and staff satisfaction.

Her research and international activity have resulted in over 300 publications, participation in more than 40 international projects, and the acquisition of approximately 15 million euros in competitive funding. In 2023, she was honoured with full membership in the Sigma Xi Scientific Research Honor Society and named an honorary member of the Australian Teacher Education Association (AETA).

Professor Heidi has also played significant roles in the Finnish educational system, including positions at the Ministry of Education, the Finnish Education Evaluation Centre (FINEEC), and as principal investigator for Finland’s PISA team in the 2009, 2012, and 2015 cycles.