The 65th World Assembly 2024 will focus on the teacher profession and on teacher education at a time when the global problem of the shortage of teachers has been amplified in many contexts. The problem is not new but the figures that have been disseminating clearly illustrate the dimension of the crisis worldwide. UNESCO “sounds the alarm on the global teacher shortage crisis” as worldwide 69 million teachers are needed to reach universal basic education by 2030 (UNESCO, 2022). Thus, there is a need to discuss the core features of the teaching profession but also the purpose and focus of teacher education in such challenging circumstances.

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The World Assembly will offer a platform for the scholars from around the world to present and discuss research on teacher education and teacher professionalism from a policy, practice and research point of view. The pandemic and post-pandemic concerns in education also need to be put into perspective as all students are entitled to be taught by qualified and motivated teachers. While times of crisis may be challenging they can also be seen as opportunities to enhance the profession and to recognise its complexity and dynamic nature which calls for quality teacher education.  

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This World Assembly aims to provide a space for sharing research and experiences with a particular focus on teacher education and teacher professionalism. The conference will offer a forum for the scholarly analysis of international perspectives emerging from latest research and recent trends in teacher education worldwide.

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The proposed theme is “Enhancing the teaching profession through quality teacher education: purpose, policy and practice in times of teacher shortage” with sub-themes around:

 

• Policy development in Teacher Education

• Research in/on and for Teacher Education

• Digitalisation and Teacher Education

• Internationalisation and Innovation in Teacher Education

• Teacher professionalism and Teacher Education

• Migration, diversity, inclusion and Teacher Education