The TUTOR (Teacher’s Upskilling aiming aT a hOlistic inclusivity in leaRning) Project is a three year Erasmus+ research project that draws on the partnership of expert groups and institutions across Ireland, Austria, Greece, Turkey, and EU.  The objective is to create partnerships of teacher education and training providers to establish Teacher Academies to support  teachers to develop their capabilities in understanding and developing more inclusive learning environments. Inclusive education has traditionally been thought of as being an approach to serving students with disabilities in education (Suleymanov, 2015). TUTOR draws on critical approaches to inclusive education, noting the shift to focus on how socio-cultural systems need to become more inclusive, and in educational contexts supporting full participation in mainstream settings with the support of appropriate adaptations and accommodations (Zigmond, Kloo and Volonino, 2009). ‘Inclusion is an attitude and approach that embraces diversity and differences and promotes equal opportunities for all’ (Inclusion BC, 2019). Drawing on international policy, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) described inclusion as a process of addressing and responding to the diversity of needs of learners. EU policy acknowledges the need for teachers voices to be included in policy responses to the current classroom diversity (European Commission, 2015). This acknowledges how broader socio-economic and political contexts impact on classrooms such as the precarious  global economic, environmental and political context, increased migration, and complex intercultural contexts. TUTOR draws on critical education and transformation education theories by combining the knowledge of different advocacy groups and NGO’s working in partnership with universities to develop and deliver a continuous professional development (CPD) programme of learning for current educators in second level and Further Education and Training (FET) which is situated in current knowledge, context, and practice allowing for transformational educational experiences.

A desk-based literature review was conducted at EU level and by each country partner examining each country’s national policies and frameworks and research in relation to best practice in inclusive education, resulting on the compilation of a report on the findings of the desired status of inclusive education at local and EU level. Following the literature review, focus groups and teacher interviews were conducted with over 800 stakeholders involved in second level schooling, Further Education and Training (FET), advocacy groups and NGOs across the four countries and at EU level. An anonymous, online questionnaire was also disseminated to schools and FET institutions. This second stage of the methodology allowed the partners to identify the existing status of inclusive education in each country and at EU level. The findings were then analysed through three rounds of thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2013) in MAXQDA qualitative data analysis software to identify the gaps between the desired state and the existing state of inclusive education at national and EU level. The identified gaps are currently being utilized as the basis for designing the CPD curriculum. Once the curriculum is designed it will undergo pilot testing with stakeholders from second level and Further Education and Training in each partner country followed by teacher mobilities between the partners host countries in order to support a collaborative international approach to inclusive education.

It is expected that through the partnership of a large transnational network of universities, non-government organisations, advocacy groups, and further education organisations, funded by Erasmus+, teachers in second level and further education and training will be offered a continuous professional development programme that is based on current, robust research; that is the identified gaps between the desired state and the existing state of practice. The CPD programme will also be complemented with the opportunities for educators to travel to other countries for experiential learning mobilities, and the development of an online community of practice at transnational level. Thus consolidating the new theories, practices, and concepts, with opportunities to observe and practice in expert institutions, and continue the transformative educational experience through continuing transnational professional dialogue.

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