Gert Biesta: The Purpose of Education

Professor Gert Biesta, a leading voice in educational theory, will explore the fundamental question: what is the purpose of education in a rapidly changing world? Drawing on his extensive research and thought leadership, he will invite participants to reflect on education not just as a means of delivering outcomes, but as a deeply human endeavour concerned with values, subjectivity, and democratic life.

About the speaker

Gert Biesta is Professor of Public Education at Maynooth University in Ireland and Professor of Educational Theory and Pedagogy at the University of Edinburgh. Internationally recognised for his scholarship, Gert is co-editor of the Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, associate editor of Educational Theory, and former co-editor of the British Educational Research Journal. He also co-edits two major Routledge book series: Theorizing Education and New Directions in the Philosophy of Education. His work continues to shape educational discourse across countries, systems, and philosophies.