In the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world (“VUCA world”); in which we live (Tichnor-Wagner et al., 2019), the movement of diverse cultural, ethnic, religious, and linguistic groups has raised important and complex questions about citizenship, human rights, democracy and education (Banks, 2011). In this context, global citizenship education (GCE) has gained prominence not only in educational discourse (Davy, 2011; Goren & Yemin, 2016; Gaudelli, 2016; Pasby et al., 2020), but also in the agenda of several international organisations such as Oxfam and UNESCO, seeking to address key social issues of social justice, human rights, inequalities, discrimination and humanitarian and environmental crises. Linked to sustainable development (Agenda 2030), GCE is a transformative pedagogy that aims to empower individuals to understand, imagine and act in favour of a world with social and climate justice, peace, solidarity, equity, sustainability and international understanding (GENE, 2022). Based on a sense of belonging to a common humanity, it aims to contribute to building more just, inclusive and peaceful societies (UNESCO, 2018). Therefore, GCE stands out for its potential to contribute to a transformational and social justice agenda (Shultz, 2007; Tarozzi &Torres, 2016). However, the way in which GCE is materialised in curricula, school and teacher practices still requires attention and reflection (UNESCO, 2013). Although it is recognised that European universities play an important role in promoting GCE through teacher education programmes (GENE, 2017), teacher education practices in this field remain under-explored (Tarozzi & Mallon, 2019).  Indeed, the way in which teacher education programmes are addressing GCE and social justice (SJ) in the preparation of future teachers (Cochran-Smith, 2020; Tarozzi & Mallon, 2019), alongside teacher educator’s professional development in this scope, is a scholarly concern (Mairi et al., 2023).

This background reinforces our intention to understand how a public higher education institution in Portugal is developing a pre-service primary school teacher’s education for social justice and global citizenship. Bearing in mind that teacher educators play a key role in education (Cochran-Smith, 2003; Goodwin & Kosnik, 2013), by directly influencing the quality of student teachers’ preparation and, more indirectly, the learning outcomes of children and young people (Ping, Schellings & Beijard, 2018), it is paramount to investigate teacher educator’s understanding and teaching practices as regards education for global citizenship and social justice.

This current paper presentation, which is part of an ongoing doctoral research project (SFH/BD/04942.2020), is based on the following research questions:

 a) How do teacher educators understand GCE and SJ?;

b) What importance do they attach to the development of a GCE and SJ in pre-service teacher education programmes?;

c) How are the curricular units/courses they teach contributing to such development?

 d) What factors do participants identify as facilitating or inhibiting the promotion of GCE and SJ in the preparation of pre-service teachers?

Methodologically, this research is part of a interpretative paradigm (Bogdan & Biklen, 1994), according to which the purpose of research is to understand the intentions and meanings - beliefs, opinions, perceptions, representations, perspectives, conceptions - that the subjects manifest in relation to others and the contexts with which they interact (Amado, 2014). A case study method is adopted (Yin, 2009) of three pre-service teachers’ education programmes at a public higher education institution in Portugal. Based on the premise that the real purpose of qualitative research is not “to count opinions or people, but on the contrary, to explore the spectrum of opinions, the different representations about the subject in question" (Bauer & Gaskell, 2002, p. 68), this study delves into the discourses of twelve teacher educators, all of them involved in those programmes. The data was gathered through semi-structured interviews, applied to twelve teacher educators in order to (i) collect teacher educators’ conceptions of GCE and SJ, (ii) understand the importance given to GCE and SJ in the programmes' curricula, and (iii) identify facilitating factors and constraints in the development of a GCE and JS oriented curriculum. Therefore, valuing the discourse of each participant and with the intent to develop a systematic and objective description of the meaning of the data (Schreier, 2013), several procedures were carried out: organizing and presenting the data; analysing it; discussing and interpreting the results, relating them to the literature review, the theoretical framework and the research questions (Mattar & Ramos, 2021). A thematic analysis was adopted to identify, interpret and report patterns, i.e. themes, within the data (Braun & Clarke, 2006), which were organised around the following themes: a) conceptions of education for GC and SJ; b) relevance of GCE and SJ in teacher education; c) competences to be favoured; d) dynamics and strategies mobilized in the development of GCE and SJ; e) facilitating factors. f) constraints.

The preliminary results suggest that the teacher educators relate GCE and SJ essentially - with specific values and issues of sustainability, respect, diversity, inclusion, empathy, human rights, solidarity and equity. They see it as an educational approach that is relevant to the current context of interdependence, globalization and diversity. According to all the participants, GCE and SJ are intrinsically aligned, sharing values and principles. In terms of relevance, from a perspective of "thinking for the common good" and being able to contribute to the transformation of the world, GCE and SJ are extremely relevant in initial teacher education. The participants refer to the development of participation, cooperation, critical understanding of the world and a sense of agency for the exercise of active and responsible citizenship, skills that many teacher educators consider to be linked the mission of being a teacher in general. With regard to the dynamics and strategies mobilized in the development of GCE and SJ, the teacher educators report a variety of practices such as the analysis of articles and key documents, the discussion of films, the use of children’s literature, the construction of portfolios and the implementation of educational projects, some of which anchored in Challenge Based Learning methodologies. Collaborative and interdisciplinary work and the growing development of research by some of these teacher educators, especially in the field of teacher education for sustainability, are important factors that foster the development of these approaches. However, the scope and complexity of these approaches, something that the literature has been emphasizing (Davies, 2006; Oxley & Morris, 2013; Pasby et al., 2020), as well as the problematisation, practical implementation and evaluation of these processes, are some of the main challenges to overcome. Despite focusing on a specific national context, due to the worldwide discussion around GCE and SJ, the current piece of research may contribute to the professional development of teacher educators.

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