Radhika Gorur, Professor of Education at Deakin University, recently delivered a keynote address at ECER 2026 (European Conference on Educational Research).
Professor Gorur’s keynote titled ‘Beyond Impact: Responsible Knowing and Acting in Education Research’ began with the provocation that education research is never merely descriptive but actively shapes educational realities and futures. She called for researchers to embrace reflexivity, uncertainty and diverse perspectives, viewing responsibility not as compliance or impact generation, but as an ongoing commitment to examining the effects, exclusions and possibilities created through knowledge-making.
ECER 2026 is the flagship activity of the European Educational Research Association (EERA) and one of the largest conferences on educational research in Europe. The theme of this year’s conference was – Knowing and Acting: The changing conditions and potentials of education research.
Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive. Participants valued the challenge to think about knowing and acting as inseparable, recognising that educational research carries a deep responsibility. The keynote prompted reflection on how the questions researchers ask, the methods they use, and the knowledge they promote can help shape educational realities and future possibilities.
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