The quality of teachers has long been recognised as pivotal to both teaching quality and, consequently, student learning outcomes (European Commission, 2013). This recognition has increased the focus on teacher preparation and, in particular, on the essential role of teacher educators. Teacher educators contribute to the education of prospective teachers as well as to the continuing professional development of in service teachers, during induction and throughout their careers (European Commission, 2013; Czerniawski et al., 2017; White, 2019).
Over the past decade, research interest in the professional development of teacher educators has grown, particularly given the limited or absent formal preparation for this role (Zellermayer & Margolin, 2005; Van der Klink et al., 2017; Ping et al., 2018). The profession of teacher educators is not yet fully established: there is no clearly defined route into the role, nor are structured induction programmes common practice (Murray & Male, 2005). Most teacher educators enter the profession after working as school teachers or as researchers (Davey, 2013). However, little is known about how teacher educators across Europe experience the transition from school or research contexts into teacher education. Neither career path appears to fully prepare them for the challenges associated with the role, such as developing a new professional identity. Professional identity formation is considered a central process in becoming a teacher educator and is crucial for ongoing professional learning (Olsen & Buchanan, 2017). It is therefore important to explore ways of helping teacher educators become more aware of their identity development as a basis for supporting their professional growth.
A large-scale international study has shown that teacher educators report moderate satisfaction with their professional development opportunities but express a strong desire for continued learning, shaped by their contexts and evolving roles (Czerniawski et al., 2017). Previous research has emphasised the importance of self-initiated learning, research skills, and collaborative professional development for teacher educators (e.g., Guberman et al., 2021; Van der Klink et al., 2017). At the same time, teacher educators’ professional roles are changing in response to developments in teacher education systems—such as increased emphasis on research or stronger school–university partnerships. However, there is limited insight into how these roles are shifting across Europe.
This symposium brings together research projects conducted by experienced teacher educators working in diverse national contexts. These projects focus on teacher educators’ professional identity, their transition into the profession, and their evolving professional roles. All contributions were initiated during the InFo TED Academy 2025, a year-long initiative of the International Forum for Teacher Educator Development. The Academy brings together research of more than 30 school based and higher education based teacher educators from over ten European countries and beyond. Throughout the programme, participants collaboratively developed research projects related to teacher educators’ identity, work, and roles.
The symposium has a twofold aim: (1) to present the research findings in relation to teacher educators’ professional development, and (2) to stimulate reflection on the process of international collaboration among teacher educators. The session will include two short presentations, followed by an interactive activity designed by one of the research groups, and then two further presentations. The discussant will conclude by reflecting on the contributions and initiating a discussion on the insights of the study, and the value of cross-national collaboration among teacher educators.

Czerniawski, G., Guberman, A. & MacPhail, A., 2017. The professional developmental needs of higher education-based teacher educators: an international comparative needs analysis. European Journal of Teacher Education, 40(1), 127-140. Davey, R., & Davey, R. (2013). The professional identity of teacher educators: career on the cusp? (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203584934 Guberman, A., MacPhail, A., Ulvik, M., & Oolbekkink-Marchand, H. (2021). Teacher educators’ professional life stories across four countries: Intertwining personal and contextual effects. In Teacher educators and their professional development (pp. 106-119). Routledge. European Union, 2013 Ping, C., Schellings, G., & Beijaard, D., 2018. Teacher educators' professional learning: A literature review. Teaching and Teacher Education, 75, 93-104. Van der Klink, M., Kools, Q., Avissar, G., White, S., & Sakata, T., 2017. Professional development of teacher educators: What do they do? Findings from an explorative international study. Professional Development in Education, 43(2), 163-178. White, S., 2019. Teacher educators for new times? Redefining an important occupational group. Journal of Education for Teaching, 45(2), 200-213. Zellermayer, M. & Margolin, I. 2005., Teacher educators’ professional learning described through the lens of complexity theory. Teachers College Record, 107(6), 1275-1304.