DATE

30 Jull 2025

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Understanding Knowledge, Curriculum and Student Agency

The webinar series “Understanding Knowledge, Curriculum, and Student Agency” invites educators, researchers, and policymakers to engage with fundamental questions about the purpose and design of education in the 21st century. As the boundaries of knowledge continually expand and diversify, curriculum development must not only transmit information but also empower students as active agents in their own learning journeys. This series explored how conceptions of knowledge shape educational practices, how curricula can be reimagined to foster critical thinking and creativity, and how enhancing student agency can lead to more meaningful and transformative educational experiences.

Professor Paul Ashwin Lancaster University, UK

Professor Paul Ashwin is a distinguished academic and Professor of Higher Education at Lancaster University, where he also serves as the Head of the Department of Educational Research. His research focuses on the role of higher education, particularly how curricula and policies shape teaching, learning, and student experiences, with an emphasis on the transformative potential of academic knowledge over economic metrics. A leading advocate for reorienting universities toward educational purposes, he authored Transforming University Education: A Manifesto (2020), which argues for curricula that foster students' intellectual and societal transformation. He co-authored influential works such as Reflective Teaching in Higher Education (2015, 2020) and edited collections such as Locating Social Justice in Higher Education Research (2020), cementing his role in advancing research-informed pedagogy. As the Deputy Director of the ESRC-funded Centre for Global Higher Education (CGHE), he led international projects examining graduate employability and knowledge outcomes in England, South Africa, and the U.S., highlighting the enduring value of disciplinary expertise. His editorial leadership includes coordinating the journal Higher Education and co-editing the Bloomsbury book series Understanding Student Experiences of Higher Education, further solidifying his impact on the global higher education discourse. Prior to Lancaster, he contributed to educational research at the University of Oxford and Newham College by blending practical and theoretical insights into institutional and policy frameworks.

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