Eve Eisenschmidt

Eve Eisenschmidt is a Professor at Tallinn University's School of Educational Sciences since 2016. Previously, she served as Vice-Rector for Development (2011-2016) and Director of Haapsalu College (1998-2011) at Tallinn University. She holds a Doctor's Degree in Educational Sciences (2006) and a Master's Degree (2000), both from Tallinn University institutions.

Her educational background includes:

• Doctoral studies in Educational Sciences at Tallinn University (2002-2006)
• Master's studies at Tallinn Pedagogical University (1998-2000)
• Diploma in primary school teaching from Tallinn Pedagogical Institute (1983-1988)

Eisenschmidt specializes in teacher education, school leadership, and educational policy. Her research focuses on school improvement processes, teacher development, and data-driven educational decision making. She has extensively studied Estonian educational reforms, particularly the transition from the Soviet system to high-performing models reflected in PISA results. Her work often employs comparative approaches, especially between Estonia and Finland.

Eisenschmidt's recent scholarship reveals strong patterns in examining how educational institutions implement evidence-based practices, develop professional learning communities, and navigate crises like the pandemic. Her work consistently bridges theoretical frameworks with practical implementation challenges in the Estonian context, while maintaining valuable cross-national comparisons with Finland.

Her significant contributions to Estonian education have been recognized with:

• Order of the White Star, 4th Class (2024)

Professor Eisenschmidt has held numerous influential positions in educational governance, including serving as Chairman of the Quality Assessment Council for Higher Education in Estonia (2018-2024) and currently as Vice Chair of Tallinn University Council (2025-present). She has advised on multiple national educational quality assurance initiatives and participated in EU educational programs including ESF programme Eduko and Comenius programme.

Her leadership extends to international educational networks as a longstanding member of the Teacher Education Policy in Europe Network (TEPE) and the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI), where she contributes to shaping educational research and policy across Europe.