Dr. Teresa M. Cappiali
Senior researcher, educator, and social innovation practitioner
Founder of NOIWE® – No Innovation Without Education
How TEP was born
Dr. Teresa M. Cappiali’s journey across five continents — from classrooms to NGOs and universities to local communities — revealed a recurring challenge: education too often forces trade-offs and remains disconnected from learners’ realities. While teaching controversial and sensitive social science topics to learners from around the world, she created Transformative-Emancipatory Pedagogy (TEP).
Born from the insight that diversity and controversy can be critical resources rather than obstacles, TEP unites knowledge, empathy, and critical thinking to transform classrooms into spaces of dialogue, reflection, and collective change.
Research, practice, and methodology
Cappiali’s work combines theoretical development, applied pedagogy, and mixed-methods research. She designs and facilitates learning environments that include dialogue-based learning circles, experiential workshops, reflective tools, and structured learning journeys. These practices are continuously evaluated and refined through participant feedback, observation, and long-term engagement.
A central dimension of her approach is ethical sensitivity when teaching and learning about socially and politically charged topics. Rather than seeking consensus or comfort, her pedagogical work supports learners and educators in navigating complexity, uncertainty as well as emotional and relational tensions as productive dimensions of learning.
Currently, she leads TRANSFORM_EDUC, a NOIWE-developed research project originally funded in Sweden, now expanding internationally with support from University College Cork (Ireland) and in partnership with Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Morocco. The project explores the adaptation of TEP to diverse educational contexts and examines the ethical integration of AI in education.
Recognition & experience
Dr. Cappiali holds a PhD in Political Science from the Université de Montréal (2016) and has held research and teaching positions at leading institutions including Cornell University, McGill University, University of Toronto, Université de Montréal, Collegio Carlo Alberto, the European University Institute, Lund University, The Raoul Wallenberg Institute, Université Internationale de Rabat, and Mohammed VI Polytechnic University.
Her fieldwork and collaborations span Europe, North Africa, North America, Asia, and Latin America, where she has trained students, educators, and community leaders. She is the author of numerous international articles and books, including Transformative-Emancipatory Pedagogy (TEP) to Reimagine Education (2025).
Over the course of her academic career, her research has consistently attracted substantial competitive funding from national and international sources, including Canada, Sweden, and Italy. Her work has been further recognized with the European Commission’s Seal of Excellence (2020) and the Vinnova MSCA–Seal of Excellence Fellowship (2021–2023). These prestigious awards supported a two-year research project examining discrimination and the exclusion of vulnerable migrant women and minors in North Africa.
CURRENT AFFILIATIONS
ACADEMIC PROFILE
