Eija Pakarinen

Eija Pakarinen is a Professor at the University of Jyväskylä's Department of Teacher Education, Faculty of Education and Psychology. Her research focuses on teacher-student interactions, teacher occupational well-being, and student academic skills, motivation, and well-being. She explores how teacher stress, classroom practices, and home-school collaboration influence educational outcomes. Notable projects include the Right to Belong initiative addressing childhood loneliness and the EduRESCUE project strengthening educational resilience.

Her work spans cross-cultural studies (e.g., Finland-Japan comparisons) and pandemic-related challenges, emphasizing resilience and crisis preparedness. She leads research groups like TESSI (Teacher and Student Stress and Interaction in Classroom) and participates in flagship initiatives like EDUCA (Education for the Future). Key publications address teacher well-being, dialogue quality, and pandemic impacts on education systems.

Eija collaborates with international scholars and has contributed to longitudinal studies like VUOKKO, tracking child development from toddlerhood to early schooling. Her research bridges classroom dynamics with broader systemic factors, advocating for holistic approaches to educational resilience and student-teacher relationships.