Sonja Lutovac

I am Sonja Lutovac, an associate professor at the University of Oulu, Finland where I work in the field of teacher education. In late October 2023, I was on a two-week research visit to the Institute of Education, University of Minho. The purpose of my visit was to work with Maria A. Flores, an esteemed international collaborator in our ongoing project, where we explore the work of Finnish teachers. Having been to Braga and the Institute of Education before, I was filled with a sense of comfort as I returned to this familiar place. Professor Flores warmly welcomed me, facilitating insightful and fruitful brainstorming discussions. What made this visit exceptional was the opportunity to meet her colleagues at CIEC - researchers at various stages of their careers and other visiting researchers, who were all equally passionate and dedicated to their research and teaching pursuits. One of the highlights of my visit was the opportunity to interact in the classroom with enthusiastic prospective teachers who asked challenging and thought-provoking questions. The culmination of my visit coincided with the ATEE 2023 winter conference, organized by the Institute of Education. The organization, the program and the social activities were exceptional with plenty of opportunities for insight and networking. It was a fitting end to a rewarding research visit. A heartfelt thanks to Professor Flores and her team!