The Board
The Board comprises of at least one members from each representative country, though any organisation in good stead, having paid its memberships dues may appoint a member to the board. The board meets once a year and is responsible for ratifying the decisions of the executive. A new board is elected each conference.
Belgie: Belgium
The board member for Belgium is Hugo Verkest - please see the executive page for more information.
Danmark: Denmark
The board member for Denmark is Elisabeth Faber - please see the executive page for more information.
Ann-Louise Ljungcrantz is also a board member from Denmark. She has 12 years educational experience as a teacher in science of religion at Christianshavns Gymnasium in Copenhagen. She graduated from Copenhagen University in 2005 and currently serves as a member of the Board for the Danish Association for highschool teachers in science of religion. Ann-Louise Ljungcrantz is also an author of educational books, targeting religions aimed for use in the Danish high schools, additionally she is currently in the process of writing another educational book on Sikhism. Contact details for Ann-Louise Ljungcrantz, Email : al@cg-gym.dk.
Ann-Louise Ljungcrantz is also a board member from Denmark. She has 12 years educational experience as a teacher in science of religion at Christianshavns Gymnasium in Copenhagen. She graduated from Copenhagen University in 2005 and currently serves as a member of the Board for the Danish Association for highschool teachers in science of religion. Ann-Louise Ljungcrantz is also an author of educational books, targeting religions aimed for use in the Danish high schools, additionally she is currently in the process of writing another educational book on Sikhism. Contact details for Ann-Louise Ljungcrantz, Email : al@cg-gym.dk.
Deutschland: Germany
The board member for Germany is Janika Olschewski - please see the executive page for more information.
Eesti: Estonia
The board member for Estonia is Dr Olga Schihalejev - more information will follow.
Erin: Ireland
Dr Sandra Cullen taught R.E. and English at second-level schools before taking up a lecturing post in Religious Education at Mater Dei Institute of Education (MDI). She is a graduate of Mater Dei Institute, Boston College and DCU. Sandra is a Staff member of the Irish Centre for Religious Education (ICRE) and serves on the Board of (EFTRE). She is also a member of the REA and ISREV. She is regularly invited to speak at events for teachers and at parish and diocesan gatherings and is the author of a number of publications in RE. She has been a member of EFTRE since 2012.
España: Spain
José Maria Guardia is a teacher of Religious Education at Secondary Schools: Instituto Educación Secundaria Luis Buñuel and Instituto Educación Secundaria Miguel de Molinos” of Zaragoza (Spain). He graduated as a student of Theological Studies and Work Sciences. José is the current chair of APPRECE: Asociación Profesional de Profesores de Religión en Centros Estatales” (APPRECE). (Association of Spanish RE Teachers in Public Schools) and APPRECE UNION, an organization that promotes the stability of religious education teachers and the teaching of RE integrated into the school curriculum. In 2011, APPRECE organised the board meeting and EFTRE Seminars in Sevilla. José is currently a Board member representing Spain. He has written the chapter ´Religious education in Spain´, in Religious Education in Europe: Situation and current trends in schools, (ICCS), IKO, (2007). José has been a member of EFTRE since 2004, during The IXth EFTRE conference of Järvenpää Finland. José can be contacted at: unionappreceespana@hotmail.com.
Hellas (Ἑλλάς): Greece
Dr Marios Koukounaras Liagkis is a Lecturer in RE at National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Dep. Theology). He studied Theology and Greek Philology. He holds an MA in Pedagogy and a PhD in Sociology of Religion from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Dep. Theology). He was working for ten years as a RE teacher at Secondary Education schools. During 2007 – 2009 he worked as a Consultant to the Minister of Education and Religious Affairs. He has been involved in designing the recent curricula of RE (2015). He organizes several teaching training courses and programmes for RE students and pre- and in-service teachers. He is the author of four books on pedagogy and RE.
La France: France
There is currently no representative from France.
Iceland: Iceland
There is currently no representative from Iceland.
Italia: Italy
Orazio Ruscica has been involved in Catholic Religious Education in Italy since 1983, teaching at both lower and upper secondary schools. In November 1993 he founded the National Union of Teachers of Religion (SNADIR) to assist teachers of Religion at all stages of their career in exercising their rights and provide a representative voice at national level for all who teach and lead in RE, as well as publications and courses to support professional development. Recently (November 2015) he has been confirmed National Secretary of the SNADIR. Orazio has been a member of EFTRE since 2007. Orazio can be contacted at: orazio.ruscica@snadir.it.
Κύπρος: Cyprus
Dr Eliana Hadjioannou was a teacher at Primary Schools of Cyprus for 17 years. Since 1998 she was a teacher of RE in Secondary Schools and an inspector of RE since 2013.
As a teacher for more than 3 decades she attended several seminars and study visits in different places of the world enriching her experiences and reforming a successful model that can applied in her country strengthening students and making them more resilient to bad influences and temptations.
As an inspector of RE she cooperated with principals and teachers in several levels. She is a member of the Ministry’s committee for the prevention of early school leaving. The aim of this committee is to form the profile of students at risk of early school leaving in order to create the right environment for them which will be able to keep them at school. Ιn the field of religious education, the target is to supply teachers with modern teaching tools and methodology for more effective teaching.
As a teacher for more than 3 decades she attended several seminars and study visits in different places of the world enriching her experiences and reforming a successful model that can applied in her country strengthening students and making them more resilient to bad influences and temptations.
As an inspector of RE she cooperated with principals and teachers in several levels. She is a member of the Ministry’s committee for the prevention of early school leaving. The aim of this committee is to form the profile of students at risk of early school leaving in order to create the right environment for them which will be able to keep them at school. Ιn the field of religious education, the target is to supply teachers with modern teaching tools and methodology for more effective teaching.
Magyar: Hungary
Dr. Eszter Kodácsy-Simon is the assistant professor at the Evangelical-Lutheran Theological University in Budapest where she leads the Department of Religious Education. She leads the working group that is responsible for the new curricula of RE (2014) in the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Hungary, and she is the responsible editor for a series of RE books series regarding her church. She is the co-author of six RE books and author of several publications on Christian education, church schools and RE.
She graduated as a mathematics, physics and RE teacher. She wrote her PhD on systematic theology focusing on the question of the relationship between science and religion and on its applicability in RE. She is also a graduate of the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago where she holds a Master of Arts degree in Theology. She is a mother of three children, her husband is a pastor at the Reformed Church in Hungary.
Eszter can be contaced on eszter.simon@lutheran.hu.
She graduated as a mathematics, physics and RE teacher. She wrote her PhD on systematic theology focusing on the question of the relationship between science and religion and on its applicability in RE. She is also a graduate of the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago where she holds a Master of Arts degree in Theology. She is a mother of three children, her husband is a pastor at the Reformed Church in Hungary.
Eszter can be contaced on eszter.simon@lutheran.hu.
Nederlands: Netherlands
Dr Henk Pol (theologian) has retired as professor of education at Stenden University of Applied Sciences. He has experience in teaching in elementary and secondary school as well as teaching in teacher training. He taught theology at University (New Testament and Church History). He did research how Christian tradition can relate to education. In Dutch he published about exegesis and hermeneutics, about church history, and about modern Western culture.
Portugal: Portugal
Helena Guerra Pratas is EFTRE's board member for Portugal.
Suomi: Finland
Risto Aikonen is a senior lecturer in Orthodox Religion Education Pedagogy at the University of Eastern Finland, School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Training (Joensuu campus). He has been a board member of EFTRE since the Budapest conference in 2007. On the board he represents his own organization, the Association of the Orthodox Teachers in Finland.
Risto has a degree of Licentiate of Philosophy (Education). He did his theological studies at the University of Athens in Greece (Ptyhiouhos Theologias). He has been involved in making the recent curricula renewals (2014) both for the Basic and High Schools for the Orthodox Religious Education (ORE). He is also a founder and vice president of the international Orthodox Christian Religious Education Organization. Risto has been a co-writer and editor of textbooks and both for school and adult education purposes dealing with the contents of the Orthodox Church. He was also a co-editor of an international conference publication (first one of its kind) about the pedagogical approaches used at school and congregation environments in ORE. His field as a researcher is dealing with the use of ICT and SoMe in religion pedagogy.
Another board member of Finland is Outi Raunio-Hannula, please see the executive page for more information.
Risto has a degree of Licentiate of Philosophy (Education). He did his theological studies at the University of Athens in Greece (Ptyhiouhos Theologias). He has been involved in making the recent curricula renewals (2014) both for the Basic and High Schools for the Orthodox Religious Education (ORE). He is also a founder and vice president of the international Orthodox Christian Religious Education Organization. Risto has been a co-writer and editor of textbooks and both for school and adult education purposes dealing with the contents of the Orthodox Church. He was also a co-editor of an international conference publication (first one of its kind) about the pedagogical approaches used at school and congregation environments in ORE. His field as a researcher is dealing with the use of ICT and SoMe in religion pedagogy.
Another board member of Finland is Outi Raunio-Hannula, please see the executive page for more information.
Schweiz: Switzerland
Christian Metzenthin is a religious education teacher at Kantonsschule Zürich Nord (Zurich, Switzerland). He has been teaching there for more than 7 years. Christian has a PhD in Theology. He did his theological studies at the Universities of Zurich and Bern. Christian is mentor of internship and co-autor of the RE-book JUKI.[1] Currently he is involved in the revision of the Sachbuch Religionen[2] (Student Book and Teaching Material for RE). Christian can be contacted at christian.metzenthin@zh.ref.ch.
[1] http://www.tvz-verlag.ch/index.php?id=56&tx_commerce_pi1%5BshowUid%5D=160399&tx_commerce_pi1%5BcatUid%5D=1169
[2] http://www.ksaintern.ch/sachbuch-religionen/religionen
[1] http://www.tvz-verlag.ch/index.php?id=56&tx_commerce_pi1%5BshowUid%5D=160399&tx_commerce_pi1%5BcatUid%5D=1169
[2] http://www.ksaintern.ch/sachbuch-religionen/religionen
Sverige: Sweden
Dr Olof Franck is the Docent/Associate Professor of Philosophy of Religion, Senior Lecturer in Subject Matter Education in Social Studies and Vice-Prefect for research at the Department of Pedagogical, Curricular and Professional Studies, University of Gothenburg. Olof, who formerly was working for more than twenty years as a teacher in upper secondary school, has been engaged by the Swedish National Agency for Education as a subject expert in the school reforms Lgr11 and Gy11, and in the national IT strategies project with a focus on digital competence in Swedish policy documents for upper secondary school. He is the author of books and articles relating to the philosophy of religion, RE, ethics education and education for sustainable development (ESD). He is engaged in a research project financed by a grant from the Swedish Research Council 2015 – 2017: What may be learnt in ethics? Varieties of conceptions of ethical competence to be taught in compulsory school. http://idpp.gu.se/om-idpp/personal?userId=xfraol
During the years when Olof was working in school, the conferences arranged by EFTRE came to be more and more important for him, providing opportunities to meet and learn from teachers and researchers working in various countries and educational contexts. These meetings meant a lot as being pedagogically and existentially interesting platforms for the reflection on, and the development of, new ideas and both deepened and broadened methods in his teaching. These platforms are still highly important – now by giving inspiration to research activities in the field of RE.
During the years when Olof was working in school, the conferences arranged by EFTRE came to be more and more important for him, providing opportunities to meet and learn from teachers and researchers working in various countries and educational contexts. These meetings meant a lot as being pedagogically and existentially interesting platforms for the reflection on, and the development of, new ideas and both deepened and broadened methods in his teaching. These platforms are still highly important – now by giving inspiration to research activities in the field of RE.
Österreich: Austria
The board member for Austria is Sonja Danner - please see the executive page for more information.
Ukrayina (Україна): Ukraine
Iana Poliakova has a PhD in Education and is a Lecturer at Makeyevka Institute of Economics and Humanities (Donetsk region, Ukraine) and Vice Rector for Educational and Student Services at Donetsk Teacher Training Institute since 2016. She has been involved in teacher education since 1995, and is also involved in many activities connected with intercultural and religious education.
She has published widely in the Post-Soviet countries, researching and disseminating European trends and developments in the field of RE. She first attended the EFTRE conference in Bruges, in 2010.
She has published widely in the Post-Soviet countries, researching and disseminating European trends and developments in the field of RE. She first attended the EFTRE conference in Bruges, in 2010.
UK: England
The board member for UK: England is Lesley Prior - please see the executive page for more information.
UK: Scotland
Dr Graeme Nixon is a lecturer of Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies (RMPS) at the University of Aberdeen. He teaches on the initial teacher education programmes for primary and secondary student teachers. Graeme is the programme director of the Studies in Mindfulness MSc programme at the University of Aberdeen.
His research interests include philosophy in schools; secularity and spirituality; the rational autonomy of children; values education, and thinking skills. Prior to working at the university Graeme was an RMPS teacher in Scottish secondary schools. Outside of the university Graeme’s interests include family, rugby, cricket and hillwalking.
His research interests include philosophy in schools; secularity and spirituality; the rational autonomy of children; values education, and thinking skills. Prior to working at the university Graeme was an RMPS teacher in Scottish secondary schools. Outside of the university Graeme’s interests include family, rugby, cricket and hillwalking.
UK: Northern Ireland
Dr Norman Richardson has taught Religious Studies and intercultural education for many years to student teachers at Stranmillis University College, Belfast, Northern Ireland. Recently retired from full time work he continues to contribute to a number of courses in Stranmillis and is also involved with various RE and inter-religious organisations in the UK and internationally. A former teacher, Norman also worked for over a decade as a cross-community and inter-Church Peace Education Officer throughout Northern Ireland.
He is a member of the Northern Ireland RE Advisory Committee and has also maintained a long-standing involvement as a member of the Corrymeela Community and in other local community relations and inter-faith activities. In 2017 and 2018 he has been co-presenting a series of courses for serving teachers on the theme of “Shared Religious Education”. He is regularly involved as a researcher, writer and lecturer in the field of religious and cultural diversity in education and has produced classroom resources for teachers and pupils in RE and related curriculum areas.
He is a member of the Northern Ireland RE Advisory Committee and has also maintained a long-standing involvement as a member of the Corrymeela Community and in other local community relations and inter-faith activities. In 2017 and 2018 he has been co-presenting a series of courses for serving teachers on the theme of “Shared Religious Education”. He is regularly involved as a researcher, writer and lecturer in the field of religious and cultural diversity in education and has produced classroom resources for teachers and pupils in RE and related curriculum areas.
UK: Wales
Gill Vaisey provides a wide range of consultancy services to those concerned with children’s religious education and spiritual development and in particular specialises in advising on RE for children in the early years of education. To directly support teachers, Gill has produced a wealth of published and free of charge resources which are used extensively across the UK and have made a major contribution to the development of excellence in RE.
Gill is a member of the UK Association of RE Advisers, Inspectors and Consultants (AREIAC) and executive committee member representing Wales. She regularly provides seminars for its members. Gill is a trained assessor for the Religious Education Quality Mark (REQM). Gill represents Wales on the Religious Education Council for England and Wales and is delighted to represent Wales on EFTRE.
Gill is a member of the UK Association of RE Advisers, Inspectors and Consultants (AREIAC) and executive committee member representing Wales. She regularly provides seminars for its members. Gill is a trained assessor for the Religious Education Quality Mark (REQM). Gill represents Wales on the Religious Education Council for England and Wales and is delighted to represent Wales on EFTRE.
