Effective Teaching for the Future (SumSET)

Empirical and Practical Insights

Effective Teaching for the Future 2025 edition

Around the world, there is a growing desire to improve the quality and the equity of education. Teachers and the teaching they deliver play a crucial role in the day-to-day life of students, affecting fleeting states of their short-term and long-term psycho-socio-emotional and academic growth. For many students, the effectiveness of the teaching they encounter opens doors that would otherwise stay shut, and allows them the best opportunities to access and discover myriad opportunities the changing world can offer. Effective teaching is a contested concept influenced by multiple and admittedly complex factors. Rapid growth of digital transformation such as artificial intelligence (AI) contributes to shaping the face of future teaching which teachers cannot avoid, offering affordances and challenges in today’s teaching practices. However, many struggle to understand how and under which conditions the act of teaching can be considered effective and meaningful for students. There is, therefore, a pressing need to develop a better understanding of effective teaching for serving future generations.

I touch the future. I teach.-- Christa McAuliffe, 1986

In this international and interdisciplinary summer school, we will bring participants including masters and PhD students, teachers, researchers, and educational practitioners together and present them with the opportunity to engage with various researchers and practitioners from the University of Groningen (the Netherlands), the University of Cyprus (Cyprus), the University of Worcester (England), Sunchon National University (South Korea), and Kongju National University (South Korea) from the disciplines of teacher education, teacher effectiveness, curriculum and educational design, psychology of education, computer science and artificial intelligence, and other relevant disciplines in an innovative and transdisciplinary program addressing effective teaching for the future generations. Participants will learn about and engage with current debates and research insights addressing effective teaching, teaching for the future. They will work together in mixed and diverse groups discussing the state-of-the-art of effective teaching from research and practice perspectives.

Practical information

Dates	6 – 10 July 2026
Location	Groningen, the Netherlands
Level	Master/PhD/Postdoc/researchers/teachers/practitioners
Fees	€ 650 for those that apply before 1 April 2026 (early-bird registration deadline). € 750 for those that apply before 1 May 2026 (final deadline). € 400 for University of Groningen students. The fee covers lunches, the welcome reception, closing reception, selected social activities, and coffee/tea and refreshments throughout the on-campus week. Travel, accommodation, and dinner are at the participant's own expense. SumSET has partial scholarships available for participants from less privileged countries. If you would like to apply for a partial scholarship, please indicate clearly in your motivation letter why you are qualified for the scholarship.
Academic coordinators	Ridwan Maulana, University of Groningen Marie-Christine Opdenakker, University of Groningen Alette Arendshorst, University of Groningen a.m.arendshorst@rug.nl
Contact	teaching4future@rug.nl

Below is a list of recommendations for those who are looking to book accommodation for the summer school. Please keep in mind that we advise applicants not to book any accommodation or travel arrangements before they have been notified of their selections and officially enrolled in the summer school. Enrollment is final once you have made your payment.

Accommodation recommendations

Requirements

Who is this summer school for?

The Summer School is designed for motivated students (Master and PhD) in education and related fields, as well as teachers, teacher educators, researchers, and educational practitioners with an academic Masters’ degree and some research experience from around the world. All applicants of the Summer School are required to have an academic Master’s degree, or at least in the process of obtaining it.

English proficinency

It is expected that the participants have a sufficient command of the English language to actively participate in the discussions and to present their own work in English individually and in groups.

Course schedule

Learning path and key topics discussed

The course of the summer school will be organized in three phases: Pre-Course, Residential Course (on-campus week in Groningen), and Post-Course. During the Pre-Course phase, participants will be provided with key and additional literature to read and prepare for the course. A pre-assignment (in group) will be given during this phase. In the second phase, participants will attend a 5-days course in person (residential). A combination of lectures, discussions, workshops, (group) presentations, and other engaging educational activities will be conducted. Each day will be dedicated to addressing a specific topic of effective teaching for the future.

Topics addressed in the summer school will include:

Conceptualizing effective teaching.
Identifying and measuring effective teaching.
Analyzing effective teaching.
Promoting effective teaching: Digital technology and artificial intelligence.
Promoting effective teaching: Research and school practice.

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of this Summer School, participants will be able to:

Summarize their understanding and views on effective teaching, including its conceptualizations, assessments, research and professional development, as well as the role of technology and artificial intelligence for effective teaching.
Describe current affordances and challenges faced in conceptualizing, operationalizing, measuring, and integrating digital technology and artificial intelligence in effective teaching.
Describe strengths and weaknesses of different theoretical frameworks and models for studying effective teaching and assess possibilities for using them in a complementary manner.
Compare and contrast different approaches towards assessing effective teaching (value-added, classroom observations, student and teacher ratings, classroom artifacts) and assess ways of using them in complementary manners.
Address how digital technology and artificial intelligence can potentially support addressing challenges while also supporting the provision of timely feedback to teachers to support their learning.
Reflect on the relevance of effective teaching covered in the Summer School for their work as professionals (e.g., students, teacher, educator, researcher) and how they can contribute to advance the field in the future.
Envision effective teaching for the next generation.

Workload

Activity	Hours	Format
Pre-readings and pre-assignments	65	Online session, self-study, group work
On-campus week	50	On-site meetings, multiple forms
Post-assignments	25	Group work, individual work
Total	140

Upon successful completion of the programme, the Summer School offers a Certificate of Attendance that mentions the workload of 140 hours (28 hours corresponds to 1 ECTS). Students can apply for recognition of these credits to the relevant authorities in their home institutions, therefore the final decision on awarding credits is at the discretion of their home institutions. We will be happy to provide any necessary information that might be requested in addition to the certificate of attendance.

Proof of competence

Next to obtaining a certificate for participation, participants have the possibility to gain a digital credential (Proof of Competence) to acknowledge participation and engagement with the content. Learners who have completed a proof of competence can obtain this credential via the EduBadges platform managed by SURF— the cooperative of Dutch education and research institutions. The credential is stored on this platform and contains metadata, making the content, learning outcomes, study load hours and language of instruction of the educational activity clear and transparent (example). The credential is therefore verifiable and can be shared on, for example, a CV or LinkedIn.

Teaching staff

Confirmed speakers

Prof. dr. Ridwan Maulana (University of Groningen, the Netherlands)
Prof. dr. Joana Duarte (University of Groningen, the Netherlands)
Prof. dr. Michelle Helms-Lorenz (University of Groningen, the Netherlands)
Prof. dr. George Azzopardi (University of Groningen, the Netherlands)
Prof. dr. Alison Kington (University of Worcester, England)
Dr. Ben Looker (University of Worcester, England)
Dr. Marie-Christine Opdenakker (University of Groningen, the Netherlands)
Dr. Andreea Sburlea (University of Groningen, the Netherlands)
Dr. Charalambos Charalambous (University of Cyprus, Cyprus)
Dr. Fransisco Castillo Hernandez (University of Groningen, the Netherlands)
Drs. Geke Schuurman (University of Groningen, the Netherlands)
Dr. Stefan Johansson (University of Gothenburg, Sweden)
Prof. dr. Sebastian Röhl (University of Freiburg, Germany)
Drs. Kim VanKoughnett (Teacher Education, University of Groningen)
Drs. Henrike Cuperus (Teacher Education, University of Groningen)

Application procedure

To apply, please fill out the online application form. Please note that you will be asked to upload the following documents:

Updated Curriculum Vitae (max. 2 pages).
Motivation letter, stating the reasons why you want to participate in the Summer School, your research and teaching experiences, and what you hope to learn (max. 1 page).

Apply now!

Seats are limited. Apply now to secure your place before the deadline on 15 March 2026. Selected applicants will be notified by 30 March 2026.

Last modified:10 December 2025 4.18 p.m.