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Gifted education doctoral programme for teacher educators

The doctoral programme for teacher educators develops knowledge about educational provisions for gifted or highly able pupils in inclusive educational systems. It is important and addresses an area that has not yet received the necessary attention it deserves in Swedish research and teacher education.

The doctoral programme makes a unique contribution and values inclusive education at a time when inclusion is one of society's sustainability goals.

The doctoral programme has its foundation in a Nordic research collaboration network and includes leading international expertise.

Doctoral programme form and content

The doctoral programme is five years long. During the autumn 2021, work on the programme will be conducted, and the plan is that the programme will commence in the spring 2022.

Karlstad University (KAU), Mälardalen University (MDU) and Stockholm University (SU) will between them admit, supervise and educate nine doctoral students. The universities will offer the three specialised doctoral courses below:

  1. high abilities, giftedness and learning theories,
  2. gifted education didactics and differentiation in preschool and school; given at MDU
  3. highly able or gifted pupils’ mental health.

The doctoral students will otherwise follow the curricula for the doctoral programmes at each university and defend dissertations in these subjects: two in didactics (MDU), two in special education (SU) and five in pedagogical work, including two with a particular focus on students' mental health (KAU).

At the same time, the doctoral students will spend 20% of their time teaching on a teacher education programme at each university.

At MDU, two doctoral students will be admitted to the doctoral programme in didactics. The domain of didactics focuses on education, teaching and learning with significance for preschools, schools and teacher educations. Didactic research is related to pedagogy, psychology, and special needs education.

The doctoral programme will give students a shared platform and access to a collaborative environment.

On the doctoral programme, doctoral students will begiven the opportunity to participate in international and national networks, exchange experience and partake in research conferences in order to develop their own knowledge of research and the research field.

The doctoral positions will be announced at each university during the autumn 2021.

Why is the doctoral programme required?

Gifted or highly able children and pupils are not always given the support and stimulation they need in preschool and school and are not always identified and appreciated for their skills.

Gifted or highly able children and pupils are smart, creative and goal-oriented. However, this does not mean that they can handle and overcome difficulties on their own. As with other children/pupils, they need support and stimulation to reach their potential.

Their well-being, learning and development, like those of the other children and pupils, must be secured. They are important to their peers and to society in general. It may just be those children and pupils who will find solutions to the major societal challenges of the future!

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