Since 2014 BERA has awarded the John Nisbet Fellowship to recipients who are deemed to have made an outstanding contribution to educational research over their career. Named in honour of our first President, this award recognises individuals who exemplify BERA’s commitment to encouraging educational research and its application for the improvement of practice and public benefit.

We are delighted to announce that this year’s recipient is Professor Lani Florian

Professor Lani Florian is Bell Chair of Education Emerita at the University of Edinburgh. She is best known for her research on inclusive pedagogy and teacher education for inclusive education. Over the years, she has worked with UNICEF, the OECD, Open Society Foundations, the British Council, the Council of Europe and the European Agency for Special and Inclusive Education to ensure the results of her research are being applied in schools and integrated into first and higher degrees in universities in around the world. Since retiring in 2023, she enjoys supporting mid-career colleagues to develop their own programmes of funded research and maintains close contact with researchers in universities in the UK, Europe the wider international education community. Currently, she is Series Editor for Springer’s Inclusive Learning and Educational Equity book series.

Lani was selected for her internationally renowned work on teacher education and inclusion. Her work and contribution to the field was previously recognised when she was the first woman to be appointed as the Bell Chair of Education at University of Edinburgh; the first woman in the long history of the chair to be appointed to this position. As well as her esteemed academic record, Lani receives this award in recognition of her commitment to influencing policy and practice and supporting the wider academic community. 

Lani will be receiving her award at this year’s BERA AGM in November where she will also speak on her work.