2024 European Innovative Teaching Award ceremony

Biography

Biography

Iliana Ivanova is the Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth. Previously, she was a member of the European Court of Auditors, Dean of Chamber II responsible for audits in the field of Investment for cohesion, growth and inclusion.

She is a former member of the European Parliament, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Budgetary Control and Vice-Chair of the Special Committee on the Economic, Financial and Social Crisis.

She has worked for Sofia City Council, and in the field of investment, business analysis and finances.

Iliana Ivanova holds a master’s degree in International Economic Relations from the University of Economics in Varna, and a MBA from the Thunderbird University in Arizona.

Biography

Kathy Hirsh-Pasek is a Professor of Psychology at Temple University, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institute and a Visiting Professor at Oxford University. She was declared a “scientific entrepreneur” from the American Association of Psychology.

Writing 17 books and 250+ publications, she served as President of the International Congress for Infant Studies, was on the Governing Board of the Society for Research in Child Development and is on the board of Zero to Three. Her "Einstein Never Used Flashcards" won the Book for a Better Life Award in 2003 with her "Becoming Brilliant" (2016) reaching the NYTimes Best Sellers List in education.

Her newest book "Making Schools Work" (2022) is the first education book co-written with teachers, administrators and scientists. It already sparked a national grant to re-imagine education.

Hirsh-Pasek won awards from every psychological and educational society for her basic science and translational work designed to bridge basic science and educational impact. She also was honored with the Simms Mann Award and the Association of Children’s Museum Great Friend to Kids Award.

She is a founding member of the Latin American School for Educational and Cognitive Neuroscience, she spearheaded a global network of scientists devoted to educational science.

Co-founder of the global Learning Science Exchange Fellowship (LSX), she brings together scientists, journalists, policy makers and entertainers, to put learning science in the hands of educators.

In 2021, she was elected as a member of the National Academy of Education. Her initiative Playful Learning Landscapes re-imagines cities and public squares as places with science infused designs that enhance academic and social opportunities. Her recent initiative, Active Playful Learning, brings together leading scientists and educators to re-imagine early education in the US.

Hirsh-Pasek frequently comments for the press (e.g. NPR, NYT) and blogs for the Brookings Institution. 

Biography

Biography

Biography

Biography

Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen is the Director-General of the Directorate-General for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport at the European Commission. She took up this position on 16 September 2023, after holding the same position for four and a half years in the Commission’ Directorate General for Communication.

From March 2018, she served as Deputy Secretary General and Chief Operating Officer. Prior to that, she was also Director in the Directorate-General for Communication, in charge of the Commission’s Representations in the Member States. Between 2009 and 2014 she was Chief Spokeswoman of the European Commission; and Deputy Spokeswoman of the European Commission from 2004 until 2009 under former Commission President Barroso, also in charge of Planning and Coordination of the Spokespersons’ Service (SPP).

She began her career in political communication as Environment Spokeswoman in 1999 (Commissioner Margot Wallström), having previously held positions in the Commission’s departments for Industry (1995-97) and Information, Communication and Culture (1997-99). Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen was a Schuman Scholar at the European Parliament (1989-90). She studied Business Administration and Modern Languages at the Copenhagen Business School and Political Science at the Institut d’études Politiques de Paris, specialising in intercultural communication and European identity.