Elena Quintana Murci

Dr. Elena Quintana Murci is an Associate Professor at the University of the Balearic Islands, working in the Department of Didactics and School Organization within the Faculty of Education. She serves as secretary at the Institute for Educational Research and Innovation and holds the position of deputy director of the Laboratory for Research and Innovation in Vocational Training (LABVET).

She earned her degree in Educational Sciences and a European Doctorate in Inclusive Education from the University of the Balearic Islands. Beyond her university work, she has held positions at the Palma City Council as coordinator of the Municipal Equality Observatory and as an immigration technician in programs promoting social cohesion.

Dr. Quintana Murci's research focuses on youth transitions to adulthood, early school leaving, gender issues in education, vocational training, and lifelong learning. Her work examines how economic crises impact educational outcomes, with particular attention to vulnerable populations including young women and those in vocational programs. She employs qualitative and mixed methods approaches to understand the complex social dynamics affecting educational pathways.

Her publication record reveals a consistent focus on educational transitions, especially how young people navigate from school to work, with special attention to those who leave education early or face challenges in vocational training. Her work primarily centers on the Spanish context, particularly Mediterranean regions, while increasingly adopting a comparative international perspective as evidenced by her 2025 publication spanning five countries.

She leads several significant research projects:

• Abandono temprano de la formación profesional (ATEFP): preventing early school leaving in vocational training (PID2019-108342RB-I00)
• Co-created Education through Social Inclusion (COSI.ed) - international project
• Itinerarios de finalización y abandono en la FP Dual Intensiva: empirical approach (PID2023-149074OB-I00, 2024-2028)
• Segregación de género y coeducación en los estudios de formación profesional (2024-2025)

Dr. Quintana Murci teaches across multiple programs including Social Education, Pedagogy, and various Master's degrees focused on educational research, gender policies, and violence prevention. Her teaching portfolio demonstrates commitment to both undergraduate and graduate education, with emphasis on gender equality education and vocational training.

She serves as principal investigator for LABVET and is a member of the Gender Studies research group (ESTUDEGE). Her specialties include adult education, vocational training, and social research methods, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach to educational challenges.