From the periphery to the core: rethinking Equity and Diversity, going from a theme to an integral part of Teacher Education

This ED-TED podcast episode explores how equity and diversity can move from the periphery to the core of teacher education in Flanders (Belgium). Tibo De Wever interviews professor Piet Van Avermaet, associated with the University of Ghent, an expert when it comes to language and diversity in education and former director of the support center for diversity & learning. He emphasizes that diversity should be viewed holistically, integrated fully into teacher educator practices, assessments, and beliefs, rather than treated as an “add-on”. Professor Van Avermaet highlights the importance of raising teachers’ awareness of unconscious biases, adopting an institution-wide approach, and embedding diversity across teacher education curricula. The discussion stresses that fostering equity requires not only individual action and reflection, but also systemic, school-wide commitment, with diversity as a central, non-negotiable aspect of quality education, including teacher education.

Listen the audio version:

Alternatively, if Spotify is your preferred platform, you can listen to the full podcast there via this link.

Read the whole interview transcript – Here