In a series of proposed reforms, England’s Department for Education seeks to re-accredit all Initial Teacher Education providers, in a bid to re-distribute teacher education so that it comes under the purview of multi-academy trusts rather than universities. The proposals come under heavy fire for being unsubstantiated and potentially damaging to the intellectual standing of the teaching profession. Should the reforms pass, major university teacher education providers such as the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford might cease their programmes altogether.

In the United States, to meet the rising demand for new teachers, the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education calls for greater collaboration between the US government and schools, to update rigid policies and low wages, and to ultimately make teaching an appealing and viable career.

While independent institutions and associations champion robust evidence-based training programmes and teachers’ rights, governments often hold the key to enabling change and reform. How will teacher education institutions navigate the complex space between students’ and teachers’ needs, and government policy?