Elsa Estrela

Elsa Estrela is an Assistant Professor in Education at Lusófona University, where she also serves as Director of the Master of Educational Administration and Regulation of Education. She holds multiple leadership roles, including Co-Chair of the Public Policies and Governance in Education Research and Learning Community, Co-Chair of Crithinknet (Portuguese Network on Critical Thinking), and membership in CeiED's Executive, Ethics, and Steering Committees. She is part of the Scientific Commission of the Institute of Education and the Pedagogical Committee of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Education, and Administration. Additionally, she was elected to the Board of the Portuguese Education Society (SPCE) for 2024–2027.

Elsa’s career spans over two decades as a Portuguese language and literature teacher in secondary schools, which influenced her research focus on curriculum policies and governance. Her doctoral work involved a longitudinal study of curriculum history in Portugal. She has coordinated major projects such as the ReMASE initiative (EXPL/CED-EDG/1130/2021) as Co-PI and currently leads the Euridice (DIGITAL-2022-SKILLS-03-SPECIALISED-EDU) and ACT4WBeing (COFAC/ILIND/CeiED/1/2023) projects. She previously served as Executive Director of CeiED (2019–2023), overseeing staff recruitment, research management, and collaborative projects.

Her research interests emphasize curriculum policies, educational governance, democratic curriculum frameworks, and the intersection of AI with pedagogical practices. She has published widely on topics like curricular autonomy, teacher well-being, research methodologies in education, and interdisciplinary approaches. Notably, she co-authored works analyzing AI’s role in education and contributed to the Handbook of Curriculum Theory and Research (2023).

Elsa actively engages in educational outreach, redesigning teacher training programs at Lusófona to include transversal units like Knowledge and Creativity for Innovation. She has collaborated with 19 schools and municipalities to develop teacher training methodologies, delivered over 17 workshops on inclusive education and curriculum management, and provided expert commentary on national education strikes in 2023. Her recent articles highlight trends in leadership challenges, curriculum fluidity, and the utilization of AI in educational research.

While no scientific awards are explicitly listed, her contributions to curriculum studies and educational policy reflect significant academic engagement. She advises doctoral and master’s students and oversees research teams addressing external educational demands. Her work bridges theoretical research with practical interventions, including the Erasmus+ initiative for 21st-century pedagogical materials and the Pilot Project for Pedagogical Innovation (2018–2020).