Paul, a Professor of Higher Education in Lancaster’s Department of Educational Research, has been elected into the Academy’s Governance, Institutions and Policies section.

Professor Ashwin’s research is focussed on the educational role of higher education. He has published widely on the topic and supervised over 30 PhD students to successful completion. He has previously served Head of the Department of Educational Research for 10 years, and was Deputy Director of the ESRC-funded Centre for Global Higher Education from 2020 to 2024.

Following his election to the Academy, Paul said: “I am honoured to have been elected to Academia Europaea. The Academy provides an influential forum for discussion and policy advocacy related to the future of higher education in Europe and beyond. I am very excited about the opportunity that membership offers to contribute to this important work.”

Academia Europaea is a non-governmental association which aims to promote learning, education and research, and the value of European scholarship. Since 1988, its membership has grown to more than 5,500 scientists and scholars from a range of academic disciplines.

Membership to the Academy is by invite only. Each year, existing members nominate candidates for election who are then then subject to a peer-review process. The Academy’s criteria says its members should be of “demonstrated international distinction”. Successful election to the Academy is both a marker of the reputation of the candidate, as well as an opportunity for the member to influence pan-European scholarship and national policies.

Professor Ashwin is the fifth member of the Academy currently associated with Lancaster University, alongside Emeritus Professor Barbara Maher, Professor Richard Bardgett, Emeritus Professor Ruth Wodak and Professor Colin Lambert.

Find out more about Academia Europea at www.acadeuro.org/ae