Dear colleagues, dear members,
A hybrid ATEE General Assembly has taken place on Thursday 30 June. Many of our members have made time in their busy schedules to participate in this important meeting. Several key topics were addressed, including an update regarding our RDCs, finances and the EJTE. We also, with much gratitude for his commitment and work, said goodbye to Davide Parmigiani as outgoing President.
With great pride and pleasure I can share with you that a new Administrative Council has been elected and installed during this General Assembly.
The composition of the new AC is as follows:
Michiel Heijnen (the Netherlands): President
Agnieszka Szplit (Poland): Vice-President
Erika Kopp (Hungary): Treasurer
Leah Shagrir (Israel): Member
Teresa O’Doherty (Ireland): Member
Olena Shyyan (Ukraine): Member
TJ O Ceallaigh (Ireland): Member
The AC will work closely and intensively with Ronny Smet (Belgium), coordinator of the RDCs and, of course, with Mariagrazia Tagliabue from the secretariat, based in Brussels.
We will continue to build the future of the ATEE with this strong, internationally diverse and experienced team.
Because we have hardly been able to meet in recent years due to Covid, I can imagine that not all members know me. In short, I have 15+ years of experience in the field of teacher education and I am currently director of the bachelor and master programs (initial teacher education and continuous professional development) of the Marnix Academy. Marnix Academy is a university of applied sciences based in Utrecht, the Netherlands, which specializes in teacher education. I am an active and passionate member of the ATEE and have contributed to the ATEE as conference organizer, RDC-member and AC-member.
The ATEE is a long standing and strong association. Members share knowledge and ideas through active dialogue and inspire each other, making good use of our network and diversity. By conducting impactful research, we contribute to knowledge and policy development, we improve the practice of teacher education and thus the quality of teachers.
Our work matters, we are facing several challenges: post Covid effects on teachers and education in general, teacher shortages in several European countries, declining societal appreciation for the teaching profession, radical changes fuelled by technological innovation. There is plenty to do for us!
The ATEE, as an association, is doing well. At the same time, there are opportunities:
- Revitalizing meeting and collaboration post Covid, making use of the lessons learned, working on an online and hybrid strategy;
- Being an even more relevant partner at European (policy) level. Reaching out and networking to partners in Brussels and beyond;
- ‘Value for money’, how to remain of added value for our members. Membership strategy and calendar of activities;
- Strengthening the core of the ATEE, the RDCs. E.g. RDCs funding and online activities and meeting;
- Attracting new, early career members. Emerging scholars and teacher educators program of activities.
The new AC will work on all these themes, for and with our members. I am really looking forward to getting started with the new team and hope to meet you all in Riga at the next annual conference.
But first, I hope everybody will enjoy a nice summer vacation with well-deserved rest.
On behalf of all AC members,
Kind regards,
Michiel Heijnen
President of the ATEE