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Leadership and Impact
Kristiina Brunila is the Founder of the AGORA Research Centre, an internationally recognized hub for social sciences in education, and for social justice and equality in education. Under her leadership, AGORA has grown into a vibrant academic community with over 40 affiliates, recently celebrating its 10th anniversary. AGORA’s commitment to advancing equality and social justice has been recognized with Maikki Friberg Award for promoting equality and diversity in academia.
Kristiina’s leadership extends to the Education and Society Research Community at the University of Helsinki, with scholars across disciplines to tackle critical societal challenges. Additionally, Kristiina has held key leadership roles in numerous large-scale, multidisciplinary research initiatives. She has also earned several prestigious awards. Her academic contributions include collaborations as a visiting professor and scholar at international universities such as Melbourne, Victoria, Malmö, Umeå, Gothenburg, and Sheffield.
Publications and Supervision
Kristiina has authored and co-authored over 170 publications, including articles, book chapters, and anthologies, contributing to educational sciences and beyond.
Contact: kristiina.brunila@helsinki.fi
Social Media: AGORA Blog
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Ongoing projects: KOETUS
Leadership and Impact
During my employment at the Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Helsinki, I have held many institutional and leadership posts: teacher-in-charge of exchange studies (2023-), member of the Equality and Non-Discrimination committee (2023-), member of the Work Community and Wellbeing committee (2022-), member of the International Affairs committee (2022-), coordinator and facilitator of the Research Group in Comparative and International Education (COMPARE) (2020-), member of the steering group of the International Master’s Program in Changing Education (2020-2024), and chair of the Critical Sociology and Philosophy of Education (CRISP) research group (2021–2022). I have membership in 15 scientific organizations. I am a regional editor for the Bloomsbury Education and Childhood Studies Series – Brazil. I have acted as a referee for 14 scientific publications. I was invited to deliver 13 lectures in national and international institutions. I organized six international academic events.
Contact: helena.candido@helsinki.fi
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Ongoing projects: CoSupport
Contact: juho.honkasilta@helsinki.fi
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Leadership and impact
My research supports the internationalisation of the Higher Education Institutions especially in the areas of global higher education cooperation and international degree programmes. My current teaching and supervisory duties at the University of Helsinki are within the International Master’s Programme in Changing Education programme (launched in 2020), where I serve as the vice director and the responsible lecturer.
Publications and supervision
My scientific publications broadly represent internationally significant themes in the field of education, especially higher education pedagogy, global education, international higher education cooperation, and critical issues of education and development in African countries. The doctoral dissertations and master's theses I have supervised are related to international educational cooperation and expertise, as well as the development of pedagogies in diverse education settings. My broad academic development work is connected to strategy and curriculum work, pedagogical development projects, and international partnerships.
Contact: hanna.kontio@helsinki.fi
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Contact: ameera.masoud@helsinki.fi
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Ongoing projects: FuturEd
Contact: katariina.mertanen@helsinki.fi
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Leadership and Impact
Marja Peltola is a sociologist and youth researcher with multidisciplinary experience in the fields of social science, youth research, gender research and education. She works as a University Lecturer in Education and coordinates AGORA’s doctoral research seminar Critical sociology and philosophy in education (CRISP).
Publications and Supervision
Marja has published widely on themes related to youth, masculinities, (in)equalities, family and close relationships, and sexuality, among others. She supervises master’s and doctoral theses on these themes and others related.
Contact: marja.peltola@helsinki.fi
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Ongoing projects: CoSupport, FuturEd
Contact: jaana.pesonen@helsinki.fi
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Leadership and Impact
Birgit is the president of Nordic Society for Philosophy of Education, the chair of the equality and non-discrimination workgroup at the Faculty of educational sciences at the University of Helsinki and an editorial board member of Speki, Nordic Philosophy and Education Review.
Contact: birgit.schaffar@helsinki.fi
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Leadership and Impact
Principal investigator in projects Political cultures of early childhood education and repertoires of justification and Proficient Early Childhood Education; co-leader in projects Marketization of education and PROSUS – Sustainable early childhood education and care
Contact: satu.m.valkonen@helsinki.fi