Established at the Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Helsinki, AGORA was founded in response to the lack of sufficient support for research on equality and social justice in the field of education. One of its primary aims was to provide a structured and supportive environment for researchers, offering them a dedicated and secure space to conduct work on these underrepresented topics.
Over the past decade, AGORA has advanced the role of social sciences in education, with a particular emphasis on social justice and equality. Founded by Professor Kristiina Brunila, the Centre has grown into an internationally recognized hub for multidisciplinary research, drawing from sociology, policy studies, philosophy, gender studies, youth studies, migration studies, disability studies, and cultural studies. AGORA has united scholars and research initiatives from diverse fields, fostering collaboration to address societal inequalities and transformations through education.
AGORA's extensive networks and partnerships reflect its commitment to impactful and collaborative research. These include close collaborations with the Finnish Ministries of Education and Culture and Economic Affairs and Employment, the Finnish National Agency for Education, as well as various prestigious universities both in Finland and globally. These partnerships extend across the Global North and Global South, encompassing educational organizations, NGOs, (inter)governmental bodies such as UNESCO, think tanks, and other key stakeholders. Through these connections, AGORA has been able to amplify its research impact and engage in meaningful dialogue on pressing educational and societal challenges.
Founding and Early Years
In its initial phase, AGORA focused on cultivating a collaborative and inclusive academic culture, grounded in non-hierarchical structures. The Centre intentionally sought to create an environment where PhD scholars would find support and possibilities of academic development and senior scholars could actively contribute as leaders, leveraging their research expertise to shape and advance AGORA’s aims and content. This approach not only fostered individual and collective growth but also ensured that the Centre’s activities reflected diverse scholarly perspectives and areas of specialisation.
AGORA played a pivotal role in coordinating and supporting multidisciplinary educational research, while also establishing and strengthening international and national research networks. By bringing together scholars with a shared interest in addressing inequalities, the Centre started to support advanced theories and methodologies in education, positioning itself as a key hub for critical and transformative research.
During its early years, AGORA began organizing open seminars and workshops accessible to all, focusing on societal transformations and inequalities in education. These initiatives fostered dialogue and collaboration while expanding the Centre’s research scope to deepen the understanding of social justice and equality as complex, multifaceted phenomena encompassing economic, cultural, social, and political dimensions. AGORA placed particular emphasis on critical themes such as governance and power relations, intersectionality, equality and non-discrimination work, racism, power relations, activism, and the mechanisms that sustain inequalities in education and beyond.
AGORA also played a pivotal role as a key centre within the Nordic Centre of Excellence Justice Through Education in the Nordic Countries. When the Centre of Excellence concluded, AGORA continued to build on and advance its core themes, sustaining and extending the critical work initiated during the CoE. By doing so, AGORA solidified its position as a research centre dedicated to addressing the pressing issues of social justice and equality in education on both regional and international levels.
Community Building and International Collaboration
AGORA's community continued to grow, welcoming new researchers and affiliates. The Centre introduced its members through the "People & Research" series, showcasing their work and fostering a supportive environment for both junior and senior researchers. A notable example of this supportive academic culture is AGORA's international CRISP research seminar, which has been widely praised for its critical and encouraging peer support. The seminar regularly brings together over 30 junior and senior scholars as well as regularly visiting scholars to engage in meaningful critical dialogue and advance their research in an inclusive environment.
This period was also marked by a surge in international collaborations, as AGORA researchers traveled to institutions worldwide, sharing insights on the challenges of education systems and policy reform in global forums. By participating in international conferences and joint projects, AGORA scholars expanded the Centre’s networks and influence. These collaborations enriched AGORA's research culture and amplified its reach.
AGORA’s international influence grew as it began hosting numerous distinguished scholars from around the world, including the Nordic countries, Continental Europe, the United States, South America, China, and Australia. These scholars brought valuable perspectives that deepened AGORA’s work on critical issues such as changes in educational governance, structural inequalities, and economically driven challenges. By engaging in joint projects, international conferences, and partnerships, AGORA not only broadened its network but also strengthened its role as a globally recognized Centre for critical educational research. The Centre’s collaborations extended to research groups, universities, policymakers, equality and non-discrimination authorities, and civil society organizations, underscoring its commitment to influencing educational policy and practice on an international scale.
Recent Developments and Future Directions
In recent years, AGORA has continued to prioritize critical educational research, addressing pressing issues such as the marketisation and privatisation of education, shifts in educational governance, education export, global policy, democracy, human rights, and systemic inequalities in and beyond education. The Centre has actively organized impactful events, including seminars, workshops, and lecture series such as international FuturEducation lecture series, which began in fall 2021 and continued with FuturEducation II in fall 2022.
AGORA operates under a co-directorship model shared by senior researchers, reflecting its commitment to inclusivity and collaborative governance. This approach has fostered joint leadership and advanced the Centre's ability to address multifaceted challenges in education while maintaining a non-hierarchical and dynamic academic culture. This model has also strengthened AGORA’s capacity to support young researchers and create an intellectual space where critical perspectives thrive.
Throughout its ten-year history, AGORA has remained steadfast in promoting a rethinking of conventional and normative practices in education while strengthening critical thinking in academia and fostering new approaches to address inequalities in education and beyond. As it enters its second decade, the Centre continues to serve as a global actor in critical educational research, deepening understandings of how education can address complex societal challenges.
AGORA has hosted numerous renowned scholars and researchers worldwide, whose work aligns with the Centre’s dedication to advancing research of social justice and equality. These collaborations have enriched AGORA’s research agenda and cultivated an intellectual community that critically examines dominant educational hierarchies and normativities while envisioning more equitable futures.
Recognized nationally and internationally, AGORA’s and its’ scholars’ contributions to social sciences in education have earned them prestigious awards and recognitions, affirming the centre’s role as an influential force in addressing contemporary educational and societal challenges. The Centre’s public events have engaged over 10,000 participants—including educators, policymakers, NGOs, and other key stakeholders—fostering meaningful and interdisciplinary dialogue on critical topics. These include various acute topics such as anticipated and alternative futures of education, precision education governance, youth and mental health, decolonizing education, the psychologization and therapeutic ethos in educational contexts, and critical, equality-driven, and feminist pedagogies.