Q&A with Professor Tatiana Fumasoli

View Professor Tatiana Fumasoli's UCL profile

What attracted you to take up your position at IOE?

After the merger with UCL [in 2014], I thought that working in one of the best faculties of Education in one of the best research universities would provide me with a dynamic, innovative and diverse work environment. This has been true since I arrived in 2017!

How long have you been at IOE?

Almost 7 years.

What do you most enjoy about your position and why?

I enjoy a lot of things – probably the most important is to be in a position where I feel I can make a difference not only academically, but also in the higher education sector, nationally and internationally, and in society. For instance, I am leading a World Bank project promoting internationalisation in Georgia through which I have the opportunity to work directly with other universities and academics, bringing my expertise to develop research capacity and getting to know new colleagues, communities and institutions.

What working achievement or initiative are you most proud of?

I am proud of all my students: my PhD students, of whom six have graduated brilliantly; my MA and MBA students, who went on working in amazing positions in the higher education sector. I am still in contact with many of them.

What is the focus of your research? What benefits do you hope your discoveries will bring?

I research how universities engage with current challenges to provide their contribution to society through education and research. I do this through an international perspective, and I work with colleagues in the UK, Europe, Japan, China and Kazakhstan.

In my research, I have two working hypotheses: the first is that universities are very good in selected activities, hence we should focus on those and not expect universities to handle everything. The second is that we have entered a turbulent phase both domestically and internationally. This means that universities, as societal key institutions, will suffer from increasing external pressures, and it is important to understand how to support them.

How have you learned from your students?

Students are very engaged in the topics I teach about because they are part of the academic community, too. On the one hand they have direct knowledge of what we discuss in class and want to improve their university and higher education in general. On the other hand, students bring invaluable insights from their perspectives and experiences.

Do you think being in London and at UCL benefits your work?

I lived in several European large cities and capitals and enjoyed them all, but London has always been my favourite and I feel lucky to live here. UCL is the most dynamic higher education institution I have ever seen: it is very enriching to be working here, but it can be rather hectic!

What other subject outside of your area of specialism interests you?

Sociology of professions and sociology of expertise.

What might it surprise people to know about you?

I haven’t always been an academic – before that I was a diplomat for the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.

Last updated 5 July 2024.