How an ERC bursary opened the door to a transformative research experience

How an ERC bursary opened the door to a transformative research experience

by | Emerging Researchers' Group, NW 1 Professional Learning and Development

When I received the email confirming that I had been awarded an Emerging Researchers’ Conference (ERC) bursary, I became excited and, at the same time, slightly nervous. As a first-year PhD student in Educational Sciences, I was just beginning to look for my footing in the world of academic research. Indeed, the bursary provided me with the opportunity to attend the Emerging Researcher’s Conference (ERC) and the European Conference on Educational Research (ECER) in August 2024 in Nicosia, Cyprus—an experience that would have been out of reach without this support.

Why this experience mattered

Presenting at a major international conference so early in my PhD journey was both empowering and challenging.  I was working intensively on preparing a systematic literature review in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the existing research in my field. As a result, I delivered my presentation “The Integration of Generative AI in Foreign Language Teacher Education: A Systematic Literature Review” during one of the Emerging Researchers’ sessions. This was my first time presenting my research in such a large and diverse setting. Receiving an abundance of questions made me reflect more deeply on the work I had done and inspired me to make meaningful improvements accordingly.

At the same time, what stood out most was not just the opportunity to speak—but to listen as well. The conference brought together researchers, educators, and professionals from all over Europe and beyond. I had the opportunity to choose freely from a wide range of sessions, where each offered unique insights into different areas of educational research. This diversity introduced me not only to new and unique ideas, but also to different contexts.

Growth beyond the conference room

Moreover, I was able to fully immerse myself in the event. I met fellow PhD students, early-career researchers, and experienced academics. We spoke about everything from research methodology to the emotional highs and lows of academic life.

These conversations—whether in formal sessions or over coffee—helped me reflect on my own research. Some discussions sparked new professional and personal interests, while others helped me realise what I did not want to pursue in my work. This growing sense of clarity was just as valuable as discovering new directions. I left Cyprus with a head full of questions, fresh ideas, and a renewed sense of purpose. I realised that some of the most important learning happens in the spaces between presentations: in informal chats, shared doubts, and collective curiosity.

Reimagining my research focus

Back in Lithuania, I continued the conversations I had started at the conference—with my PhD supervisor, university professors, and peers. One key realisation came into focus: I had spent significant time in Rwanda and Kenya, gaining both personal and professional experience, yet this perspective was not reflected in my research.

Listening to presentations and discussions under the ECER 2024 theme “Education in an Age of Uncertainty: Memory and Hope for the Future” made me reflect on how deeply education is shaped by historical, social, and geopolitical contexts. The theme encouraged me not only to acknowledge the complexities and uncertainties of the present but also to draw from past experiences to imagine more hopeful futures. In this light, I recognised the importance of including my African experience—not just as background, but as a meaningful lens through which to explore and reframe my research. It was a powerful reminder that educational research must remain open to multiple narratives, histories, and hopes – especially in a globalised and interconnected world.

With support from my academic community, I revised my original doctoral topic “Educational–Technology Enhanced Self-Directed Learning in Foreign Language Teacher Education”, which initially focused on how digital tools can enhance self-directed learning within the context of foreign language teacher training. However, with support from my academic community, I reshaped the topic to incorporate a broader and more critical perspective. The revised focus—Self-Directed Learning of Future Lithuanian and Kenyan Foreign Language Teachers in the AI Era—still centers on digital technologies but, at the same time, expands to include a comparative, global dimension. This new direction combines my interest in digital technologies with a deeper and a more global understanding of teacher education.

Indeed, the experience at ERC and ECER, including all the variety of presentations, networking, and critical feedback encouraged me to move beyond a Eurocentric perspective and toward a more comparative, interdisciplinary, and globally relevant dissertation topic.

The real impact of the bursary

The ERC bursary made all of this possible. It was not just some financial support—it was a vote of confidence. It allowed me to:

  • Present and test my ideas in a professional setting
  • Connect with researchers from around the world
  • Discover how international education challenges intersect with my own
  • Gain the courage to rethink and refine my research direction

Why this matters to others

Whether you are a fellow researcher, an educator, or someone interested in how education is changing, these kinds of international experiences are incredibly valuable. They help us build bridges between ideas, cultures, and communities. They show us that education is never one-size-fits-all, and that our work benefits from being shaped by many voices.

Final thoughts

Research can often feel like a solitary path, especially in the early stages. But my experience in Cyprus reminded me that academic work is a shared journey. With the support of initiatives like the ERC bursary, young researchers like me get the chance to become a part of something bigger—to contribute, to learn, and to even be transformed in the process.

Key Messages

  • Receiving an ERC bursary enabled me to attend and present at ERC/ ECER 2024 in Nicosia, Cyprus—an eye-opening international research experience early in my PhD journey.
  • Presenting my first systematic literature review on AI in language teacher education sparked valuable feedback and reflection.
  • Conversations with global researchers reshaped my research focus to include my African experiences and explore self-directed learning in Lithuania and Kenya.
  • The ERC bursary was more than financial support—it was a transformative boost in confidence, connection, and clarity.
Laura Kildė

Laura Kildė

PhD candidate, Vilnius University

Laura Kildė is a university lecturer, book author, and founder of foreign language schools. Her research interests include language education, educational technologies with a focus on generative AI, teacher training, self-directed learning, and postcolonial studies. She has worked internationally in France, Spain, Rwanda, Kenya, the UK, and the USA across various roles in education and research.

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Laura–Kilde?ev=hdr_xprf

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-kildė-14826277/

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ECER Belgrade 2025

Since the first ECER in 1992, the conference has grown into one of the largest annual educational research conferences in Europe. In 2025, the EERA family heads to Serbia for ECER and ERC.

08 – 09 September 2025 – Emerging Researchers’ Conference
09 – 12 September 2025 – European Conference on Educational Research

Find out about fees and registration here.

Since the first ECER in 1992, the conference has grown into one of the largest annual educational research conferences in Europe. In 2025, the EERA family heads to Serbia for ECER and ERC.

In Belgrade, the conference theme is Charting the Way Forward: Education, Research, Potentials and Perspectives

No doubt that education has a central role in society, but what it is destined to do is contested politically as well as scientifically. Yet more debate is had concerning the question of the way in which educational research should shape the future of educational practice. The important, but sensitive role educational research occupies in that regard should be the promotion of a better understanding of the contemporary and future world of education, as is expressed in EERA’s aim.

Emerging Researchers’ Conference – Belgrade 2025

The Emerging Researchers’ Conference (ERC) precedes ECER and is organised by EERA’s Emerging Researchers’ Group. Emerging researchers are uniquely supported to discuss and debate topical and thought-provoking research projects in relation to the ECER themes, trends and current practices in educational research year after year. The high-quality academic presentations during the ERC are evidence of the significant participation and contributions of emerging researchers to the European educational research community.

By participating in the ERC, emerging researchers have the opportunity to engage with world class educational research and to learn the priorities and developments from notable regional and international researchers and academics. The ERC is purposefully organised to include special activities and workshops that provide emerging researchers varied opportunities for networking, creating global connections and knowledge exchange, sharing the latest groundbreaking insights on topics of their interest. Submissions to the ERC are handed in via the standard submission procedure.

Prepare yourself to be challenged, excited and inspired.

Towards reconnecting within and beyond the educational research community in Serbia

Towards reconnecting within and beyond the educational research community in Serbia

by | ERAS

Serbia is a country nestled in the Balkans, Southeast Europe, which evokes a multitude of associations depending on one’s generational perspective. From Ottoman rule and the Battle of Kosovo, legendary scientist Nikola Tesla, historical figures like Gavrilo Princip, Nobel Prize winner Ivo Andrić, to the memories of Yugoslavia, the 1990s wars, the NATO bombing in 1999, the country’s prowess in collective sports such as basketball, and the tennis player Novak Đoković – Serbia’s narrative always provokes dilemmas.

But why delve into this historical labyrinth when discussing educational research in Serbia?

Serbia has always been a place where different cultures mix, leading to both understanding and conflict, requiring multiperspective approaches and fine interweaving of the joint narratives. The role of education and educational research’ in interpreting socio-cultural events, building collective narratives and bridging diverse perspectives is irreplaceable.

Due to the fragmentation of this region and the division of a multinational state into smaller, ethnically homogeneous entities, the term “balkanisation” itself was coined. The fragmentation of this geographical and political area corresponded with a divide within the research community. Moreover, international sanctions imposed on Serbia led to its educational research community being isolated from the global scientific network. However, this adversity paradoxically served as a unifying force within the local research community and its cohesive influence was reflected in the mobilization of existing resources in researching how education adapts and how education could help citizens to adapt to the uninterrupted crisis. The challenge of this task becomes even more noticeable when we take into account the limited resources and resistance on the side of decision-makers, often resulting in educational research being perceived as a form of quiet activism, encompassing ‘little acts’ that are both collectively and politically significant.

To overcome these hurdles, the Educational Research Association of Serbia (ERAS) was created in 2013, aiming to affiliate with the European Educational Research Association (EERA). ERAS stands out for its advocacy of interdisciplinary collaboration, welcoming experts from diverse fields interested in educational research. We wonder whether, together with EERA, we can rewrite the narrative of ‘balkanisation’, turning it from a tale of fragmentation into one of collaboration and reconnection. Hence, the theme of the ECER 2025 is Charting the Way Forward. We are looking forward to welcoming you in Belgrade!

Image of the University of Belgrade and the information: 08 - 09 September 2025 - Emerging Researchers' Conference 09 - 12 September 2025 - European Conference on Educational Research

ECER 2025 goes to Belgrade, Serbia.

Find out more about ECER 2025 in Belgrade, the keynote speakers, and how to submit a proposal, and the deadlines for submission and registration on the EERA website. 

Olja Jovanović

Olja Jovanović

Assistant Professor, University of Belgrade

Olja Jovanović is an Assistant Professor at the University of Belgrade’s Center for Teacher Education and Department of Psychology, specializing in inclusive education. With a diverse background spanning schools, NGOs, international organizations, and higher education, her research focuses on how education systems affect marginalized children and youth. She has expertise in developing frameworks to monitor inclusive education and exploring the connection between integrity and inclusive education in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Olja is a member of convener group of the European Educational Research Association’s network on inclusive education and serves on the editorial team of the European Journal of Inclusive Education.

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Dr Dragica Pavlović Babić

Dr Dragica Pavlović Babić

Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Belgrade

Dragica Pavlović Babić, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the Department of Psychology, University of Belgrade and Faculty of Mathematics University of Belgrade, teaching courses on educational psychology, educational policy and assessment. She coordinated OECD/PISA study in Serbia for 5 cycles. She has worked in developing assessment systems in Serbia, Montenegro and Central Asia (Tajikistan). Member of several scientific organizations and bodies:  EERA Council;  Board for Psychology in Education of European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations (EFPA); Educational Research Assosiation of Serbia – president; Petnica Science Centre’ Council – president; ISCAR – International Society for Cultural and Activity Research.

Dejana Mutavdžin

Dejana Mutavdžin

PhD candidate, University of Belgrade

Dejana Mutavdžin is a PhD psychology candidate at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, where she has completed her BA and MA studies. She is affiliated as a Teaching Assistant of Psychology at the Faculty of Music, University of Arts in Belgrade. Her research interest is the relationship between different types of abilities, emotional inteligence, giftedness in non-academic domains, and opportunities for their acknowledgement in the educational process.

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EERA’s unique buzz – and the lessons I’ve learned

EERA’s unique buzz – and the lessons I’ve learned

by | 30 Years of EERA

EERA is celebrating 30 years in 2024, and as part of our anniversary celebrations, we have invited people who have been at the heart of the association to share their memories and reflections. In a series of blog posts, which will run throughout 2024, we will share those precious memories, from the people who helped foster the global EERA community.

In this blog post, Terri Seddon, Professor Emeritus of La Trobe University explains why the European Conference on Educational Research became her ‘first-choice’ academic conference, and worth the long-haul flights from her home in Melbourne. 

The 1994 conference was unlike anything I’d experienced. I’d attended BERA but this joint conference with the newly formed European Conference on Educational Research (ECER) was quite different. The structure and sessions were standard, but the discussion, give and take, and energy distinguished this event.

That buzz drew me back to ECER year after year. I attended Frankfurt and Lahti, missed Seville and Ljubljana, then settled into ECER on a yearly basis. Between Edinburgh (2000) and Hamburg (2019), I only missed Lille and Copenhagen, despite twenty-hour long-haul flights from Melbourne. ECER became my first-choice academic conference. What was calling me?

The buzz became clearer at a small 2002 conference on globalisation and Europeanisation of education organised by Jenny Ozga at Keele University. She asked if I’d do the plenary. I agreed.

At dinner, the night before the conference, Jenny asked if I was ready to present.

‘But aren’t I at the end?’ I spluttered, voice squeaking with anxiety. Plenaries are concluding events in Australia: usually some wrap-up comments, sometimes provocative insights.

‘No, you’re first up tomorrow.’

After a long night, I presented that plenary, what I called an opening lecture. I have no memory of the content, but there was good discussion exploring our different views, with careful attention to language, meanings and how words were used.

Later that evening, chatting about the plenary, Edwin Keiner said, somewhat cryptically, ‘In Europe, we “offer”ideas’.

The anxious Australian learned many lessons from that plenary. I learned that words have geographies, meanings differ from place to place. I learned that anxiety affects presentation style, as do linguistic conventions, cultural habits and national histories. I learned that careful listening reveals speaker’s place-based cosmologies that contextualise what they say and how they build knowledge.

ECER offered theatre where I could watch Eurozone and Anglophone worlds in action. Aligned with ECER’s spirit of dialogue, I saw Anglophone researchers called out for speaking too fast in English. I noticed disrespectful listeners, not recognising a presenter’s halting English as their second, third or fourth language. Listening to words and silences, I grasped participant’s premises and forms of reasoning.

ECER’s theatrics showed words, stories and styles framed by place-based cosmologies. Mixed-nationality panels surfaced histories through boundaries and blind spots. Participant’s memories made relationships, systems and structures more understandable. Some ways of using words communicated and created hierarchies. Others offered a hospitality of voice that recognised what it meant to live, cheek-by-jowl, within and across sensitive borderlines.

ECER’s buzz drew me into a voyage of discovery and ECER’s offers shaped my reading of cultures and cosmologies. Conferences revealed shared cosmologies through resonances between people’s theories and biographies, and as spaces of story framed by faiths, fairies and fears. These communicative spaces recognised worlds beyond the material spaces of governing and experience, where powerful narratives play through people’s space of imagination.

Bringing these ECER insights back to Australia was hard because pragmatic, performative, can-do cultures treat the Machine as cosmology. In politics and everyday life there was wariness about things beyond the tangible, business-as-usual world. Secularism is significant. Awkward silences around First Nation’s celebration of Country disregard the cosmologies of continuous cultures over 60,000 years, cannot erode the sovereignty of mind that sustains Indigenous identities and cultures.

 

Looking back, I’m grateful for ECER’s buzz and its offers. They helped me question established stories, universalised knowledge, claims, and narratives that claimed to trump all others. Reconceiving contextualisation, I examined communicative spaces to identify probable and preferred practices of governing education and societies.

In 1994, ECER conversations offered the idea of an emerging ‘European educational space’ and documented practices of governing that changed education and societies. In 2024, climate change, toxic chemicals, and overpopulation challenge national governments and global governance, but people schooled into Machine mindsets are slow to respond to these legacies of colonial capitalism, despite threats of extinction.

So, I offer ECER a question: Can practices of governing that now steer the ‘European educational space’ be re-designed to re-shape the conscience of nations and their peoples through the emerging ‘Anthropocene educational space’?

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Terri Seddon

Terri Seddon

Professor Emeritus, La Trobe University, Melbourne

Dr Terri Seddon is Professor Emeritus at La Trobe University and Fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences. She uses historical sociologies of education to understand continuity and change in governing, policy and professional knowledge building. A series editor of the World Yearbook of Education (2006-2021), Terri interrogated globalising education policies, complexities of powerlessness and the transforming effects of transnational knowledge building.

A Transformative Journey: Nurturing Emerging Researchers at the European Conference for Educational Research.

A Transformative Journey: Nurturing Emerging Researchers at the European Conference for Educational Research.

by | 30 Years of EERA

EERA is celebrating 30 years in 2024, and as part of our anniversary celebrations, we have invited people who have been at the heart of the association to share their memories and reflections. In a series of blog posts, which will run throughout 2024, we will share those precious memories, from the people who helped foster the global EERA community.

In this blog post, Professor Fiona Hallett looks back on her 18 years of engagement with EERA and ECER, and what makes this community of researchers so unique.

In the realm of academic conferences, the European Conference on Educational Research (ECER) stands out as a unique and transformative experience, especially for international students. My first encounter with ECER in 2006 marked the beginning of a journey that not only shaped my early career but also fostered a sense of intellectual camaraderie that set it apart from other conferences.

As an early career researcher navigating the landscape of academic associations, I was fortunate that ECER was my first exposure to this world. Little did I know that this event would not only broaden my horizons but also provide me with a mentorship experience that would become central to my academic growth.

What makes EERA and ECER so special

The distinctiveness of ECER lies not just in its academic sessions but also in the supportive atmosphere fostered by the organizers. During my first presentation, the session chair, doubling as a mentor, played a crucial role in creating an inclusive environment. The network meetings, characterized by their inviting nature, quickly drew me in, prompting a desire to actively contribute to the initiatives established by others.

In 2008, I assumed the role of the convenor for the Emerging Researchers’ Network, succeeding a predecessor whom I had the privilege to shadow. Professor Ian Menter, my appointed mentor during this transition, guided me with wisdom and generosity. The experience of taking over as the main convenor opened other doors, leading me to become a Council Member of the European Educational Research Association (EERA).

The collaborative ethos within EERA extended beyond administrative roles. Other networks offered support across a range of activities from reviewing papers and organizing sessions for early career researchers (including insightful sessions led by the Editors of BERJ); this support was invaluable. The intellectual generosity displayed by colleagues at EERA is a distinctive aspect that I have not encountered in other associations or conferences.

My journey with EERA and ECER

EERA has, undeniably, been pivotal in the trajectory of my academic career. From being an invited tutor at summer schools hosted by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the University of Hamburg, to being invited discussants at sessions at the ECER 2023 conference, the opportunities for growth have been immeasurable.

Reflecting on the past 18 years, the wealth of opportunities and the bonds forged with colleagues and friends stand out as a testament to the unique value of my engagement with EERA. The association continues to be part of my academic development, allowing me to contribute as a judge for the Best Paper Competition for the Emerging Researchers’ Group. This role enables me to support the next generation of researchers and assist emerging researchers at my own university in organizing their own research events.

In essence, the journey with ECER has been transformative, offering not only academic enrichment but also a sense of belonging within a community of scholars. As I continue to engage with EERA, I am reminded that this intellectual journey is a shared one, and the generosity of spirit within this community is something that I hope will endure for years to come.

Professor Fiona Hallett

Professor Fiona Hallett

Associate Dean of the Graduate School, Edge Hill University, UK

Professor Fiona Hallett is the Associate Dean of the Graduate School, Edge Hill University, UK. Professor Hallett is also Joint Editor of the British Journal of Special Education.

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A European Space for Educational Research and Dialogue

Past Secretary General of EERA, Professor Lisbeth Lundahl on the importance of EERA as an open and welcoming space for educational research and discourse.

Read More

20 Years a-going – Reflecting on two decades with EERA

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Twenty years of participating in EERA’s 30 years

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My EERA story – from novice doctoral researcher to ERG Link Convenor

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Establishing Network 27 – and trends in didactics of learning and teaching over the past decades

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As part of our 30th anniversary celebration, Professor Raimonda Brunevičiūtė reflects on her EERA journey, and the development of Network 20, Research in Innovative Intercultural Learning Environment.

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Past reflections and future horizons

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Growing (with) EERA Network 14

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Pleasure, confusion, and friendship – 30 years of EERA

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Improving the quality of education – EERA Network 11 through the years

To celebrate EERA’s 30th anniversary, Dr Gento takes a look at the activities of Network 11 to improve the quality of education, within EERA and in the wider educational research community.

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Serendipity in Action: Being a link convenor for the ERG was a vibrant thread in the vast tapestry of my academic life

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Beyond Research: The transformative power of the Emerging Researcher’s Conference

Beyond Research: The transformative power of the Emerging Researcher’s Conference

by | Emerging Researchers' Group, KERA (Kazakhstan)

EERA’s Best Paper Award is part of EERA’s strategy to promote emerging researchers and support high-quality research in the field of education. The award is specifically designed to motivate young researchers to turn their conference presentations into full papers suitable for publication in research journals.

We asked the winner of the EERA Best Paper Award, Aigul Rakisheva, to tell us about presenting her research at ERC 2022, the invitation to participate in the Best Paper Award (BPA), and the effect it had on her career and her life.

Participation in ERC 2022

The process of writing the manuscript began long before the competition. Initially, I prepared an application to participate in the conference, which resulted in two blind peer-review feedback. I am thankful for the feedback from the peer reviewers, which proved to be instrumental in effectively preparing my presentation. The feedback primarily focused on clarifying aspects of the research methodology, the conceptual framework, and adding a final section that highlights the significance of my work in the European context. While the overall feedback did not require significant changes to my work, it provided essential guidance as I continued to develop the paper based on my research.

Subsequently, I presented my research at the ERC 2022 conference. The disparity in educational outcomes between urban and rural students remains a pressing challenge not only in my home country but also in various regions, including Europe. The study aimed to explore the role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in addressing this issue. By investigating the 2018 PISA data, the research sought to identify how ICT impacts Kazakhstani students’ academic performance in Reading, Math, and Science, potentially bridging the urban-rural education gap. This research adopted a fully quantitative approach, utilizing data from the 2018 PISA assessment, which includes a diverse sample of Kazakhstani students from both urban and rural schools. The statistical analysis revealed that access to ICT resources in schools is vital in improving students’ learning outcomes. Additionally, students’ interest in ICT and their perceived competence in using ICT are significant factors contributing to their academic success.

An invitation to participate in the Best Paper Award

About a month after presenting my work, I received a call inviting me to participate in the Best Paper Award (BPA) competition. Initially, I felt concerned that my manuscript was not fully prepared, and I doubted if I could meet the short time frame and the rigorous review process. However, after careful consideration, I realized that participating in the competition would be beneficial for several reasons. Firstly, the set time frame would motivate me to expedite the completion of my manuscript. The additional expert review would be invaluable in improving my paper, making it more robust and suitable for submission to a reputable journal for consideration.

Additionally, selected authors can submit their work published in the international peer-reviewed European Educational Research Journal (EERJ) and Studia Paedagogica journals which I believe to be a great opportunity. These platforms offer scholars an excellent opportunity to share their findings on local or national European studies, further amplifying the impact and relevance of their research within the scholarly community.

The process

Participation in the competition involves a months-long journey, during which emerging scholars tirelessly work on their articles, adhering to deadlines. During this process, I sought formative feedback, further enhancing my work and providing clear direction for improvement. I also engaged in discussions with my co-author Dr. O. Toskovic, which proved immensely beneficial in refining my ideas, strengthening my arguments, and ultimately producing a more polished and impactful paper. The iterative nature of incorporating feedback has been crucial not only for my paper but in my growth as a researcher and has allowed me to continually strive for improvement.

Winning the Best Paper Award

Winning the Best Paper Award increased the visibility of the study within the academic community. This award not only acknowledged the significance of our work but also drew attention from researchers and other emerging scholars. This recognition has paved the way for further dissemination and opportunities for my research to make a broader impact.

I encourage future participants in the Best Paper Award to embrace the spirit of competition and rise above any self-doubt that may hinder their progress. While it is natural to have uncertainties about the quality of the work, remember that what truly matters is the invaluable feedback you receive and how you utilize it to fuel continuous improvement. Embarking on the journey toward excellence entails an unwavering commitment to growth and lifelong learning.

Key Messages

  • Engaging with ERGs/ERCs provides valuable networking and collaborative opportunities with fellow researchers and education experts.
  • Participating in ERGs/ERCs can enhance the visibility of researchers’ work, potentially leading to broader dissemination and increased recognition.
  • Involvement in ERGs/ERCs cultivates better communication skills and boosts emerging researchers’ confidence as they interact with peers and present their work to diverse audiences.
     
  • ERGs/ERCs create a nurturing environment that encourages constructive feedback, paving the way for ongoing research enhancement and continuous improvement.

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Aigul Rakisheva

Aigul Rakisheva

Third-year Ph.D. student at the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, USA

Aigul Rakisheva is a third-year Ph.D. student at the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, USA.

She is currently pursuing her doctoral degree in Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership Department with Global Studies in Education concentration. Aigul is actively engaged in research and teaching activities at UIUC.Her research focuses on Virtual Exchange, Information and Communication Technologies, and Initial Teacher Education, contributing to various research projects in these areas.

 For more information about Aigul’s academic work and research interests, please visit her university researcher profile: https://blogs.illinois.edu/view/8837/329025165