Inclusive research within educational sciences has been less prominent than in social sciences in general (Seale et al., 2014). Inclusive research, encompassing participatory-, participatory action-, and emancipatory research (Nind, 2014), is defined by Walmsley and Johnson (2003) as: ‘Such research [that] involves people who may otherwise be seen as subjects for the research as instigators of ideas, research designers, interviewers, data analysts, authors, disseminators and users’ (p.  10). In short, in inclusive research the role of the researcher and researched is reevaluated throughout the entire research process. Through this evaluation of and increase in participant involvement, inclusive research can have positive effects on the validity of the research (Baxter et al., 2016; Sergeant et al., 2021; Walmsley et al., 2018). The added validity makes inclusive research methodology equipped for the aim of educational sciences: to broadly apply results to policy and practice (Creswell, 2012).

However, the implementation of inclusive research is not as straight forward as one might hope or as it is often portrayed (Todd, 2012). Inclusive research can be arranged in different ways, all with their own contestations such as who gets to participate, what is meant by active participation and not viewing participant involvement as a checklist (Nind, 2014). As Walmsley (2004) states: ‘There is a need for honesty, transparency, realism and detail when we report how we go about doing research inclusively; different contributions to research should be ‘named and described and recognized for what they are, not for what we wish they could be’ (Walmsley, 2004, p. 69). Making transparent which choices researchers make, based on what reasoning, can clarify the validity, value, and interpretation of the results of research in educational sciences.

In this symposium, we not only make transparent which choices we made in our research and its effects on (the interpretation of) the results but also the challenges that occurred while (attempting) inclusive research, its ethical complexities, and reflections on further implementation. We constructed the following research question:

What are approaches to apply inclusive research methodology to (future-orientated) educational research?

To explore different approaches to apply inclusive research methodology we present three studies in which inclusive methodology is consciously employed and the process and effect hereof. In the first presentation, on Shaping Tomorrow: Inclusive Research for Transformative Education, we discuss the necessity of inclusive methodology, and engaged scholarship, through a study which incorporates student voices in a photovoice method. After which, in the second presentation, Facilitating Intercultural Competence Development among International Students, the choices for inclusive methodology and its limitations are explored while zooming in on the authors’ choice for using case study interviews. In the last presentation, Research with Teachers on Inclusive Higher Education, the effects of methodological choices on the interpretation of results in studies on inclusive higher education is presented while showcasing a tool which helps researchers in reflecting on and designing their own research.

The purpose of the symposium is an in-depth dialogue on various ways to implement inclusive methodology, rationale to implement specific approaches and how to deal with its complexities. After the symposium, participants’ have a sense of different inclusive research approaches, the complexities surrounding inclusive methodologies, tools for implementing inclusive methodologies as well as reflecting on existing research, and a deepened consideration of the importance of engaged scholarship within the educational sciences.

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