Joan Mowat

Joan Mowat is an Honorary Reader in the School of Education at the University of Strathclyde since 2005, following a 28-year teaching career including seven years as Depute Head Teacher at Vale of Leven Academy. Her expertise spans educational leadership, inclusive education, children's mental health, and social justice. She leads Masters programs such as the MEd/MSc in Educational Leadership and the Into Headship course. Recent projects include a 5-nations study on inclusive education policies and advising NFER on UK educational policies. She has published extensively, including a 2022 monograph on relational approaches to building equitable schools. Awards include nominations for HASS Teaching Excellence (2019) and a Teaching Excellence Award (2017).

• Education: PhD in 'Teaching for Understanding within the Affective Field' from the University of Glasgow (2008)

Research Focus: Prioritizes inclusion (especially for students with social/emotional needs), pandemic recovery strategies, and policy impacts on marginalized youth. Current projects include UNICEF SDG initiatives and cross-border educational transitions research. Her work bridges academic research with practical policy advocacy, including testimony to the Scottish Parliament on school violence and participation in government Behavior Summits.

Professional Roles: External examiner at Liverpool John Moores University, University of Cumbria, and Bangor University. Founded the SERA Leadership in Scottish Education Network (2015–2022) and serves on the Scottish Parliament’s Cross-Party Group for Children and Young People since 2020.

Grants & Collaborations: Led a Scottish Universities Insight Institute seminar series on poverty, attainment, and wellbeing (2018–2019), producing policy briefs adopted by the Scottish Parliament. Collaborates with Public Health Scotland on Adverse Childhood Experiences research. Coordinated a Springer-edited book on inclusion and children’s rights (forthcoming).

Labs/Teams: Active in TCELT (Transitions Researchers Network) and International Bridge 47 (UNICEF SDG initiatives). Peer reviewer for International Journal of Inclusive Education and Palgrave Handbook of Educational Transitions.