“I study how we can support teachers to better respond to the growing diversity of pupils and students.”
Els Consuegra
Professor of Educational Sciences
“I inherited my love and respect for education from home. My father grew up in an extremely poor family in El Salvador, working on coffee plantations. He did well in primary school and, through a scholarship, continued to secondary school and then university. Those studies gave him a freedom his mother never knew, and even allowed him to escape El Salvador during the civil war when his life was at risk. My mother grew up in a farming family in a village in West Flanders. In secondary school she discovered a passion for mathematics and, against the wishes of her deeply conservative parents, left the village to study mathematics and astronomy — which caused a painful rift with her family. The power and beauty of education were central in our household.”
In my research, I study how teachers can be supported to respond to the growing diversity of pupils and students. I collaborate with teachers at all levels: from kindergarten educators to lecturers and professors at universities and colleges. Challenges around diversity are felt everywhere. We find that teachers’ practical experience and intuition are often insufficient to answer today’s questions, and scientific research alone doesn’t always provide actionable guidance for practice.
To bridge that gap, we develop methods that connect theory and practice. For example, we ask teachers to systematically record themselves during lessons, then review and analyse these recordings with colleagues, drawing on insights from scientific studies. This helps them identify challenges and opportunities in their own context. Another method we use is student voicing, in which students — often from ethnic minority backgrounds — create photo reports about their learning experiences. These materials are then combined with research findings and used in teacher training to close ethnic gaps and broaden perspectives on diversity.
As an educational scientist, I do not limit myself to describing, understanding, or explaining; I also conduct effectiveness research using experiments. Since 2012, together with Vice-Rector Nadine Engels and colleague Vicky Willegems, I have been developing Onderzoekende School?!, a method in which mixed teams of university and school staff collaborate on a research theme chosen each year by the school itself. Last year, we were commissioned by Leerpunt to develop a model for evidence-informed education in Flanders and Brussels, which is now being rolled out across the region and has received significant attention. Our network has grown from 5 to more than 60 schools. Developing this model was a meaningful recognition of our long-standing work bridging the gap between educational theory and practice.
“Above all, I hope we can continue the VUB’s mission and practice free research — and that we can reduce inequalities and promote justice.”
My dream has been the same for years: an education system where children and young people have maximum learning and development opportunities, regardless of background or identity. Excellence and equity. The complexity of achieving this could fill an entire career.
Looking ahead, I hope to watch my three daughters grow and rediscover the world through their eyes. Professionally, I hope to continue my work with the same freedom I enjoy today. In a challenging era, where academic freedom, checks and balances, and free speech are under pressure, I research controversial topics such as racism, decolonisation, and gender diversity. Above all, I hope we can continue the VUB’s mission of free research, reduce inequalities, and foster justice.
I draw inspiration from many people. VUB economist Elvira Haezendonck once told me how she combines motherhood with an academic career — practical and open — which has always stayed with me. Rector Paul De Knop inspires me through his punctuality and respect for every conversation partner. And young researchers around me, particularly those from minority or migrant backgrounds, constantly strike a chord: what they achieve, against all odds, inspires me daily and gives me hope for the future.
BIO
Els Consuegra is Professor of Educational Sciences at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), specialising in teacher education, diversity, and evidence-informed teaching. Her research focuses on supporting teachers and school teams to improve educational practices in contexts of growing diversity and on bridging theoretical insights with practical approaches. She develops methods such as Onderzoekende School?! and contributes to models for evidence-informed education across Flanders and Brussels.
In a rapidly changing world, independent, science-based insights are indispensable. Els provides journalists and editorial teams with clear analysis and context on current issues, within her fields of expertise.
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