Forum for International Networking in Education (FINE)

The Forum for International Networking in Education (FINE) is an international group of post-graduate research students and early career researchers from Universitas 21 schools of education who cooperate and collaborate in order to better understand educational issues from a global perspective.  The leadership team aims to:

• Promote conversations between students with common research interests;
• Increase communication to and among members through newsletters and online discussions;
• Serve as an advisory and advocacy body representing the needs of the FINE community.

The group seeks to provide opportunities for social and professional networking, and possibilities for collaborative research and enhanced academic and career prospects.

The FINE group was formed in 2007 in Chicago, when a group of 21 students from 8 universities, under the leadership of  Professor Lynne McAlpine (then at McGill University), met to explore how they might promote opportunities for collaboration among U21 doctoral students of education. The group has grown in strength from year to year, and in late 2015, it was expanded to include early career researchers in education within the U21 community. The expanded group continues to collaborate on educational opportunities and issues globally.

With support from U21 and the Deans of Education, and other academics, and using the American Educational Research Association (AERA) annual meetings as a meeting ground, the group continues to meet annually. The meetings provide a means for researchers from different universities in different countries to meet and find out each others’ research. Besides organising discussion forums and social events at AERA and other international conferences, the group has set up a database for members to find others with similar interests. The group also offers a newsletter that provides news from FINE, graduate student tips, and career opportunities and advice.

Details of the current Leadership Team are included below. For a list of past U21 FINE Leadership members, please click here.