Roland Bernhard

Roland Bernhard is a Professor for School Development, Leadership & Leadership Culture at the Church University of Education Vienna/Lower Austria. He also serves as a private lecturer at the University of Salzburg and a board member of the European Character and Virtues Association. His research focuses on effective school leadership, school quality development, character education, and evidence-based teaching methods. He has led major projects like the School Quality and Teacher Education (SQTE) project funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) and has published extensively in educational journals and anthologies.

Education: Completed his habilitation in 2019 at the University of Salzburg and holds a doctorate from the University of Graz (2012). He has conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Oxford and holds certifications in Quality Management and FranklinCovey’s ‘7 Habits of Highly Effective People.’

Research interests include character development, mental health in education, and school turnaround strategies. His work has been widely recognized, including media features, and he has secured over €2 million in third-party funding. He advises students on topics like school development, leadership, and character education and leads initiatives like the ‘TEPACE’ project on European character education perspectives.

Key achievements include the SQTE project’s 25+ publications, 105+ scientific lectures, and the ‘Sternstunden der Charakterstärken’ book. He is an external examiner for PhD students at the University of Birmingham and a mentor for Teach For Austria. His leadership programs, such as the EULEAD Summerschool, aim to enhance school leadership and mental health strategies.