The European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU) unites 13 universities, all recognised for their commitment to innovation in higher education and close collaboration with society. In 2018, the ECIU Teacher Education Network was established to bolster professional education, particularly in teacher training. The network includes the eight ECIU universities that offer teacher education programmes.
Leading the way in ECIU collaboration
In October 2024, Håkan Löfgren, dean of the Faculty of Educational Sciences at LiU, was appointed chair of the ECIU Teacher Education Network’s steering group. In 2025, Emilia Fägerstam, associate professor at the Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, will assume the role of chair of the network's coordination group. Together, they are now leading the collaborative efforts to shape the future of teacher education in Europe.
“I see the network as a platform that, through increased visibility, can address shared challenges in schools and teacher education,” says Håkan Löfgren.
Emilia Fägerstam hopes the network will identify similarities across the teacher education programmes at different institutions, paving the way for increased collaboration. These opportunities could lead to innovative new courses for teacher students and greater prospects for them to gain an international dimension in their education.
“My hope is that we can develop the network in a way that provides teacher students with more opportunities to build international competencies,” says Emilia Fägerstam.
Together, Håkan Löfgren and Emilia Fägerstam are ensuring that LiU takes a leading role in advancing teacher education, both in Sweden and across Europe. Their efforts aim to better equip LiU’s teacher students for their future careers.
Part of a new AI expert group
One critical issue related to the skills of future teachers is how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to enhance education and teaching. Recognising the importance of this question, ECIU has established a dedicated expert group to address it.
LiU is actively contributing to the group’s work through Linnéa Stenliden, professor at the Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning. Through her involvement in the expert group, Linnéa helps address contemporary digital challenges and reinforces LiU’s position as a leading actor in pedagogical innovation in Europe. Her research focuses on the implications of AI in education, and she is eager to contribute to the group’s initiatives.
“With this expert group, ECIU is taking an important step towards shaping the future of education in an increasingly digitalised world,” says Linnéa Stenliden. “I look forward to following developments and the results the group will deliver.”
The purpose of the expert group is to create a platform for mutual learning, collaboration, and external positioning on issues related to AI in education, particularly in relation to the European Commission. The group will focus on sharing AI guidelines, tools to support student learning, and exploring differences and similarities in how these issues are addressed across institutions and countries.
The group also aims to engage with EU policymakers to promote the development of responsible approaches to the use of AI in education, including integrating AI into various subjects and disciplines. Additionally, the group hopes to define a shared research agenda to build collective knowledge and awareness about AI and its role in education from a European perspective.
