In the knowledge society, education is perceived as a hub to improve a wide range of sectors in a global and economic competitive climate. Education is also a key policy tool addressing issues such as social justice, sustainable development and transfer of culturally and historically important knowledge. Because teachers are recognized as the most important factor in improving education, reforming teacher education is currently at the core of educational policymaking in many countries. Non-governmental as well as governmental policy makers look at teacher education as the key lever for raising achievement, improving schools and elevating the standard of whole education systems. Reforming how student teachers are educated and rearranging their work, identities and knowledge constructs also represent strategic efforts to shape the identity and work of teachers and the teaching profession in general in a further attempt to change schools. Against the background of current reforms in Norway, this paper address these simplistic global narratives from the viewpoint of teacher educators and researchers experiencing the real-life effects of teacher education governance and reform in different and distinct historical and ideological settings. The paper will demonstrate the political, educational and professional complexity of reforming Teacher Education and the opportunities for genuine innovation and positive change in a critical part of the education system.

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