From Attraction to Retention: Global Approaches to Teacher Education
(9 – 11 March 2026)
Under the direction of Jun.-Prof. Dr. Marisa Alena Holzapfel & Jun.-Prof. Dr. Andrea Westphal
Teacher education faces numerous challenges worldwide: How can we attract dedicated individuals to the teaching profession—and how can we ensure they remain? This international conference brings together researchers, teacher educators, student teachers and educational practitioners to discuss and share research findings and innovative strategies on attracting, preparing, and retaining teachers in diverse educational contexts.
Programme
Monday, 9th of March 2026 - Attracting and Retaining Teachers
Venue: Conference Hall at the University Main Building, Domstraße 11, Entrance 2
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Opening + Greeting
TBA
10:15 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Who Thinks About Dropping Out and Why? Teacher Education Students' Intention to Quit Their Teaching Degree
Andrea Westphal (Greifswald)
10:50 a.m. - 11:20 a.m.
Teachers' Employability Versus Their Retention in the Profession: The Example of Poland
Lucyna Myszka-Strychalska (Poznan)
11:25 a.m. - 11:55 a.m.
Exploring the Foundations of Teacher Development: Emotional Resilience, Stress, and Satisfaction in Initial Teacher
Frances Hoferichter (Greifswald)
12:00 p.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Attractiveness by Design and by Communication: A Desk-Based Analysis of Croatian Initial Teacher Education
Daliborka Luketić (Zadar)
12:30 p.m. - 01:30 p.m.
Lunch Break
01:30 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Should I Stay or Should I Go? Supporting Teacher Retention Through Morale, Motivation and Job Satisfaction
Philip Yeung (Lincoln)
3 p.m. - 03:15 p.m.
Coffee Break
03:15 p.m. - 4 p.m .
Poster Session
starting approx. 6 p.m.
Get Together Dinner
Tuesday, 10th of March 2026 - Teacher Professionalisation through Practice-Based Mentoring and Innovative Formats
Venue: Conference Hall at the University Main Building, Domstraße 11, Entrance 2
9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Attitudes and Values of Students and Teachers Toward Content Relevant to Natural and Social Science Education in Elementary School
Marisa Holzapfel (Greifswald)
9:35 a.m. - 10:05 a.m.
Exploring How Mentoring and Institutional Cooperation Structures Can Support the Successful Professionalisation of Teachers in the Context of Weekly Field Experiences
Johanna Tietze, Jessica Lüth, Hendrick Lohse-Bossenz (Greifswald)
10:10 a.m. - 10:55 a.m.
Learning to Teach by Teaching: Integrating Practice and Mentoring Into Initial Teacher Education
Evija Latkovska, Anita Auziņa (Riga)
11.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m.
Reimagining Teacher Education Through Faculty Co-Teaching: An Inclusive Model for Mathematics Methods and Beyond
Sam Hilbert & Jeramy Donovan (Flint)
12:00 p.m. - 1 p.m.
Lunch Break
1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Teacher Migration to Germany – Great Opportunities, Unresolved Problems, Next Steps
Miriam Vock (Potsdam)
2 p.m. - 02:15 p.m.
Coffee Break
02:15 - 03:45
Brokerage: Speed Dating
hosted by Joachim Köhler (Greifswald)
starting 4 p.m.
Cultural Program
TBA
Wednesday, 11th of March 2026 - Internationalisation
Venue: Conference Hall at the University Main Building, Domstraße 11, Entrance 2
9 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
How Do You “Do” Internationalisation in Teacher Education in Your Context?
Jessica Lüth, Lena Wuntke (Greifswald)
10:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Coffee Break
10:45 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
Pre-service Teachers’ Beliefs About Language Teaching and Learning – Perspectives From Poland
Magdalena Aleksandrzak (Poznan)
11:20 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.
Autonomy and Experience: How Pre-service Teachers Make Sense of Teacher Agency
Christine Gardemann (Greifswald)
12 p.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Conclusion and Farewell
12:30 p.m. - 13:30 p.m.
Lunch Break
