BA (Hons) English Language and Literature and French (University of Western Ontario); BEd/Ontario Teachers’ Certificate (University of Western Ontario);  MSc Comparative and International Education (University of Oxford); PhD Education (University of Warwick).

Profile

Michele is originally from Canada. In terms of international experience, she has also taught or researched in Sierra Leone, Indonesia, Scotland, the Turks and Caicos Islands, Russia, South Africa, Lesotho, Rwanda, The Gambia, India and China.  One of her current interests is the experiences of international students in UK Higher Education institutions, both during and after their studies.   Recent and ongoing projects include:  a study into the processes of intercultural learning experienced by international students (ESRC); a research link with the University of Toronto on global citizenship education and cultural diversity (ICCS); a seminar series on university internationalisation (ESRC); a survey of Chinese students who have returned to China (British Academy); and a scoping review on support for educational research for the UK Department for International Development. 

Research interests

• democratic education and education for democracy;
• global citizenship education;
• teacher professional learning;
• education in developing countries and transitional countries;
• intercultural learning and university internationalisation;
• comparative research  methods.

Recently, Michele has been exploring these in relation to the philosophy of Cosmopolitanism.  Her research is concerned with the tensions between global frameworks (such as children’s rights, and notions of ‘best practice’ in teaching and learning) and local and cultural imperatives.

Teaching and administration responsibilities

Michele is leader of the International Studies in Education programmes, including the pathways of Management and Policy, Citizenship, and Intercultural Communication, and lead tutor for the modules Education as an International Issue and Personal and Professional Skills for Education Management.  She supervises research students doing international and comparative studies.

Other professional appointments

Other professional roles include:  editor of the journal Comparative Education, member of the executive editorial board for the International Journal of Educational Development, and Vice-Chair of the British Association of International and Comparative Education.  She is also external examiner for the MSc in Comparative and International Education at the University of Oxford, and the EdD at Queens University, Belfast.

Publications ( selection)

Schweisfurth, M and Gu, Q (2009).  Exploring the Experiences of International Students in UK Higher Education:  possibilities and limits of interculturality in university life. Intercultural Education, Vol 20, No 2.

Cox, S; Dyer, C; Robinson-Pant, A and Schweisfurth, M (eds) (2009) Children as Decision Makers in Education: sharing experiences across cultures.  Continuum Books.

Schweisfurth, M (2008) Education and Democracy in The Gambia:  reflections on the position of development projects in a small African state.  In D Johnson (ed) The Changing Landscape of Education in Africa:  Quality, Equality and Democracy.  Oxford:  Symposium

Phillips, D and Schweisfurth, M (2008 and 2006) Comparative and International Education:  an introduction to theory, method and practice. London:  Continuum

Schweisfurth, M (2006): Education for Global Citizenship:  teacher agency and curricular structure in Ontario Schools. Educational Review, Vol 58, No 1, pp 41 - 50 

Schweisfurth, M (2006) Global and Cross-National Influences on Education in Post-Genocide Rwanda.  Oxford Review of Education, Vol 32, No 5, pp 697 - 709

Publications 2001 - 2008 [complete, pdf]