Finnish Early Childhood Education and Care A Multi-theoretical perspective on research and practice

Heidi Harju-Luukkainen  Heidi Harju-Luukkainen is a professor and vice director at the University of Jyväskylä, Kokkola University Consortium Cyhdenius and a professor at Nord university, Norway. She holds a Ph.D. in education, special education teacher qualification and a qualification in leadership and management from Finland. She has published more than 200 international books, journal articles and reports. Harju-Luukkainen has worked at top ranked universities in the USA like UCLA, USC as well as in many Nordic research universities. She has developed education programs for universities, been a PI of PISA sub-assessments in Finland and functioned as board professional. Her research areas are early childhood education, justice in education and international student assessment. 

Jonna Kangas  is an Adjunct Professor and PhD of Education. She has position of University Lecturer and joint research member in Playful Learning Center, Faculty of Education Science, University of Helsinki. Her research focus is on play-based pedagogy. She seeks to understand children’s learning processes through joy and participation, and she uses her findings for designing innovative teacher training and mentoring programmes in Finland and developing countries. She is a director of blended teacher training program in University of Helsinki.



Susanne Garvis is a professor of Education and the Chair of the Department of Education at Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne. She has worked in Sweden as well as Australia within early childhood education. Her research in early childhood policy and quality is world leading and informed numerous policy initiatives and professional learning practices with early childhood teachers and young children.