Increasing cultural diversity, migration, and global social change are reshaping educational systems across Europe and beyond, placing renewed emphasis on how schools respond to cultural differences in equitable and inclusive ways (Ainscow, 2020; Gay, 2018). While culturally responsive pedagogy has been widely discussed at the classroom level, comparatively less attention has been paid to how cultural responsiveness is embedded within school culture as an organizational and relational construct (Khalifa et al., 2016). This gap becomes particularly critical in times of educational change, when schools are expected not only to generate educational knowledge but also to translate research-based insights into sustainable and context-sensitive practices.

In line with the ECER 2026 theme Knowing and Acting, this study focuses on the relationship between educational research, school culture, and practice by examining how culturally responsive school cultures are conceptualized and enacted in diverse educational contexts. The central research question guiding the study is: How can educational research support the development of culturally responsive school cultures that bridge knowledge and practice in times of educational change? Subsidiary questions explore how school leaders and teachers interpret cultural responsiveness at the organizational level, how cultural values are reflected in school norms and practices, and how research-informed frameworks are translated into everyday school processes.

The study is theoretically grounded in culturally responsive education (Gay, 2018) and culturally responsive school leadership (Khalifa et al., 2016), which emphasize equity, social justice, and the recognition of students’ cultural assets within institutional structures. These perspectives are combined with school culture theory, conceptualizing schools as dynamic social organizations shaped by shared values, norms, and interactions. From an international perspective, the study engages with European debates on inclusion, intercultural education, and institutional responses to diversity, aligning closely with Network 20’s focus on intercultural education and learning environments.

By situating culturally responsive school culture at the intersection of research, policy, and practice, this proposal contributes to ongoing discussions on how educational research can move beyond descriptive knowledge production toward actionable frameworks that support schools in culturally diverse and rapidly changing contexts.

This study adopts a mixed-methods research design to capture both the structural and experiential dimensions of culturally responsive school culture. The qualitative component consists of semi-structured interviews with school leaders, teachers, and, where appropriate, students, aiming to explore how cultural responsiveness is understood, negotiated, and enacted at the school level. These interviews focus on leadership practices, decision-making processes, professional learning, and everyday school routines related to cultural diversity. Qualitative data are analysed using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns, meanings, and organizational dynamics related to culturally responsive practices. The quantitative component involves the use of a validated Culturally Responsive School Culture scale developed in the Turkish educational context, which measures cultural responsiveness across technical, institutional, and managerial dimensions. Survey data will be collected from teachers and school administrators to examine perceived levels of cultural responsiveness within schools. Descriptive and correlational analyses will be used to explore relationships between leadership practices, organizational culture, and perceived inclusivity. Combining qualitative and quantitative data allows for triangulation and provides a comprehensive understanding of how culturally responsive school culture operates both as a measurable construct and as a lived organizational experience (Patton, 2015). This methodological approach aligns with NW 20’s interest in intercultural research and supports the study’s aim of linking research-based knowledge with practical school development processes.

As the study is currently ongoing, several expected outcomes can be anticipated based on the theoretical framework and preliminary insights from the literature. First, it is expected that culturally responsive school culture will emerge as a multidimensional construct encompassing leadership practices, institutional norms, and pedagogical orientations, rather than being limited to individual teacher practices. Second, the findings are expected to highlight the central role of school leadership in translating culturally responsive principles into organizational routines, policies, and professional learning structures. Additionally, it is anticipated that higher levels of culturally responsive school culture will be associated with more inclusive school climates, reflected in stronger perceptions of belonging, participation, and equity among school stakeholders. From a research–practice perspective, the study is expected to demonstrate that culturally responsive school culture functions as a critical bridge between educational research and school-level action, offering a concrete example of how knowledge can be transformed into sustainable practice. Overall, the study aims to contribute to international discussions on intercultural education by providing empirically grounded insights into how schools can operationalize cultural responsiveness at the organizational level. These expected outcomes align closely with the ECER 2026 theme by illustrating how educational research can support meaningful action in diverse and changing educational contexts.

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