BERA’s Practitioner Research and Post Compulsory and Lifelong Learning special interest groups (SIGs) have started the process of producing a special section of Research Intelligence, BERA’s members’ magazine, that will focus exclusively on the theme of:

(Re)shaping the future of research in further education: Opportunities, barriers and beyond

In the ever-evolving national and global political landscape, the time has come for decisive action in shaping the future of Further Education (FE) research. The sector must address several pressing challenges and opportunities. The ongoing digital transformation in education, the demand for personalised and inclusive learning, and the need for developing new skills to meet future job markets are some of the factors reshaping FE. At the same time, the sector is grappling with issues such as funding constraints, workforce development and the need to better support underrepresented learners. These challenges call for a new direction in FE research – one that not only addresses immediate concerns but also envisions long-term, sustainable solutions.

At this critical juncture, there is an opportunity to explore the capacity of the sector to produce its own scholarship, in a way that foregrounds the practical wisdom of educators who understand the specific needs of their classrooms and communities and take meaningful steps toward addressing the complex challenges the sector faces. While traditionally there has been a strong body of research about FE, there have been increasing calls from the sector to build its own research capacity, accompanied by a rise in FE practitioner-focused research events and outputs.

In this special issue, we wish to explore the capacity and potential that exists for FE to start speaking for itself, in conversation with FE researchers, practitioners and other sector leaders who are leading the way.

We are looking for contributions related to the following themes:

• The role of practitioner research for professional development in FE
• The challenges and possibilities of producing a research culture in FE
• The future of research in FE teacher education
• Fostering research collaboration and partnership between FE and HE institutions
• Research collaborations between FE institutions
• Collaborations between FE and other educational institutions (for example, national libraries and museums)

Interested authors should submit a proposed title and 150-word abstract of their article to the guest editors by Wednesday 15th January 2025. The topic, remit, structure and length of the article will then be discussed and agreed between author and guest editors.

Final versions of articles should be no longer than 500 words (including references), or 1,000 words (including reference) and will need to be submitted by Sunday 23rd February 2025.

The guest editors of this special section are happy for anyone to contact them via email with questions, and hope that as many people as possible will take advantage of this fantastic opportunity to showcase some of the excellent work taking place in further education.

Please send your expression of interest with a proposed title and 150-word abstract by Wednesday 15th January 2025 to Joyce I-Hui Chen (Joyce.Chen@cwa.ac.uk), Christina Donovan (Christina.Donovan@edgehill.ac.uk) and Debbie Bogard (debbie.bogard@candi.ac.uk) with a short biography that explains the context you currently work in.