Our tasks
According to the cooperation agreement between the cooperating partners, the tasks, duties, and services of the RCIE are
(1) Planning, implementation, and coordination of research projects in collaboration with national and international research partners.
(2) Maintenance of close partnerships with current partners and establishment of new partnerships with regional, national, and international institutions, organizations, and networks.
(3) Promotion and support of young scientists in their empirical research, specifically in their doctoral and postdoctoral research.
(4) Organization of science-to-science and science-to-public congresses in cooperation with different national and international institutions.
(5) Issuance of academic and practitioner publications.
(6) Establishment and maintenance of a website in order to disseminate information regarding the center’s activities and research findings.
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About our foundation
The inaugural meeting of the center took place on July 16, 2020. Extensive preparatory work preceded this meeting.
Dr. Andrea Seel (Private University College of Teacher Education, Diocese Graz-Seckau - from 1.10.2021 PPH Augustinum) highlighted the already well-established cooperation in the field of inclusive education in Styria. Dr. Elgrid Messner, the rector of the University College of Teacher Education Styria, emphasized the historical and pioneer work in the field of inclusive school development in Styria and was delighted about the implementation of this meaningful and important project in Styria. Ao.Univ.-Prof. Dr Polaschek, the rector of the University of Graz, pointed out that the center should become a source of ideas and research activities for the further development of inclusive schools and that the bundled research expertise should extend the national and international recognition of the three institutions.
Interesting facts about the management team
The RCIE leadership team, consisting of one representative from each of the three institutions, namely Univ.-Prof. Dr. Barbara Gasteiger-Klicpera (University of Graz), Prof. Dr. Andrea Holzinger (PHSt) and Prof. David Wohlhart (KPH Graz), was nominated at the inaugural meeting. The first leadership period lasts three years, and each member of the leadership team will assume the main lead for one year.
According to the principle of rotation, the chairs of the leadership team are assigned as follows until 30.9.2022:
16.07.2020 - 30.09.2020: David Wohlhart (KPH Graz, from 1.10.2021 named PPH Augustinum)
01.10.2020 - 30.09.2021: Barbara Gasteiger-Klicpera (University of Graz)
01.10.2021 - 30.09.2022: Andrea Holzinger (PH Steiermark)
From 01.10.2022, the leadership team has been reconstituted due to the retirement of Andrea Holzinger and David Wohlhart and, according to the rotation principle, the chairs then were:
01.10.2022 - 30.09.2023: Martina Kalcher (PPH Augustinum)
01.10.2023 - 30.09.2024: Barbara Gasteiger-Klicpera (University of Graz)
01.10.2024 - 30.09.2025: Caroline Breyer (PH Styria)
And the members of the leadership team 2022-2024 were:
PPH Augustinum: Martina Kalcher (on parental leave since 2.1.2023, )Katharina Maitz (since 2.1.2023)
PH Steiermark: Edvina Bešić (PH Steiermark, 1.10.2022-16.3.2023); Konstanze Edtstadler (17.3. -31.10.2023); Silvia Kopp-Sixt (1.11.2023 - 31.08.2024); Caroline Breyer (since 01.09.2024)
In addition, a deputy head was appointed for each leading person of each institution.
Organization of the RCIE
The organization of the RCIE consists of the cooperating partners: University of Graz, PPH Augustinum and PHSt, represented by the leadership team, the extended leadership team and the research team.
Further partners
Social services
Universities and research institutions
Aarhus University (AU), Denmark
Institute for Social Research in Zagreb (ISRZ)
Competence Center for Inclusion in Education at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (Italy)
Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education (DIPF), Germany
Mid Sweden University (MIUN), Sweden
Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Pedagoški institut | Educational Research Institute (pei.si), Slovenia
Educational institutions and authorities
Board of Education of Styria, Austria
Schools from Styria