Felicitas Thiel

Felicitas Thiel is a Professor of School Pedagogy and School Improvement Research at the Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin. She has held this position since October 2006 and previously served as Professor for School Education at the University of Vechta in 2006. Her academic leadership extends to national policy, as she has been Co-Chairwoman of the Standing Scientific Commission on Education Policy (SWK) since May 2021 and a member of the Scientific Commission of Lower Saxony (WKN) since 2018. She also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Centre for International Student Assessment (ZIB) since 2016.

Her research interests focus on classroom management as a core component of teacher expertise, school quality assurance, evidence-based educational governance, professionalization of pedagogical professions, and organizational theory of schools. She teaches on classroom research, instructional methods, teacher education, school improvement, and educational policy.

Her recent publications (2022–2025) reflect a strong trend in video-based teacher training, classroom disruption management, teacher feedback mechanisms, and digital learning environments. She has led major research projects such as Evidence-Based Governance in the German Educational System (SteBis), K2teach, (Un-)Failing Schools, and FEED-UB, focusing on feedback interventions by school principals.

• Co-Chairwoman, Standing Scientific Commission on Education Policy (SWK), since 2021
• Member, Scientific Commission of Lower Saxony (WKN), since 2018
• Board Member, Centre for International Student Assessment (ZIB), since 2016
• Editorial Board Member, Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenschaft, 2014–2021

She has supervised numerous research projects and coordinated the Master’s program in "School Development and Quality Assurance." Her work bridges empirical research, teacher training, and national education policy, making her a key figure in shaping evidence-based practices in German schools.