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    Mathias Urban

    Prof

    Profile Photo
    Mathias Urban, PhD, is Desmond Chair of Early Childhood Education, and Director of the Early Childhood Research Centre (ECRC) at Dublin City University, Ireland (DCU). He works on questions of policy related to diversity and equality, social justice, evaluation and professionalism in education and care systems for young children, families and communities in diverse socio-cultural contexts. Before joining DCU Mathias held the position of Froebel Professor of Early Childhood Studies and Director of the Early Childhood Research Centre at the University of Roehampton, London, United Kingdom.
    Mathias is Professor of Pedagogy (professor II) at the University of Stavanger, Norway, and Affiliate Professor and Fellow at EDPolicyFORWARD: The Center for Educational Policy at George Mason University, VA, USA.

    Mathias has 20 years experience in designing and leading international collaborative research projects. He has a well-established track record of publications in international peer-reviewed journals; his work has been classified as ‘world leading’ and ‘internationally excellent’ in the context of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) of the United Kingdom.
    Mathias was awarded the ‘Marianne Bloch Distinguished Career Award’ by the international Reconceptualising Early Childhood Education network in 2018, and the DCU President's Research Impact Award in 2020.

    From 2010 to 2011 he coordinated the European CoRe project (Competence Requirements in Early Childhood Education and Care). His current and recent projects include collaborative studies on early childhood systems and governance in Europe and Latin America, studies on Privatisation and on the impact of Assessment Regimes, and an 11-country project on Governance and Leadership for Competent Systems in Early Childhood.

    Mathias is the lead author of the 2018 (Argentina), 2019 (Japan), 2020 (Saudi Arabia), 2021 (Italy), and 2022 (Indonesia) G20/T20 early childhood development, education and care policy briefs, and a member of the European Commission expert working group on Early Childhood Education and Care.
    He was President of the International Froebel Society (IFS) from 2016-2019.

    Book

    Year Publication
    2024 Gibbons, A.; Gaches, S.; Arndt, S.; Sapon-Shevin, M.; Murray, C.; Urban, M.; Tesar, M. (2024) Home in Early Childhood Care and Education. Conceptualizations and Reconfigurations. Switzerland: Cham.
    2016 Vandenbroeck, M., Urban, M. & Peeters, J. (2016) Pathways to Professionalism in Early Childhood Education and Care. London: Routledge.
    2012 Murrray, C. & Urban, M. (2012) Diversity and Equality in Early Childhood. Dublin: Gill& Macmillan.
    2011 Miller, L., Dalli, C. & Urban, M. (2011) Early Childhood grows up. Towards a critical ecology of the profession. Dordrecht and London: Springer.
    2010 Moss, P. & Urban, M. (2010) Democracy and Experimentation: two fundamental values for education. Guetersloh: Bertelsmann Stiftung.
    2010 Urban, M. & Dalli, C. (2010) Professionalism in Early Childhood Education and Care: international perspectives. London: Routledge.
    2009 Urban, M. (2009) Early Childhood Education in Europe: Achievements, Challenges and Possibilities. Brussels: Education International – L’Internationale de L’?ducation.

    Book Chapter

    Year Publication
    2023 Urban, M. (2023) 'Vagabonds Efficaces—Effectively Changing the World from a Non-space' In: Home in Early Childhood Care and Education: Conceptualizations and Reconfigurations. UK : Cham: Springer International Publishing.
    2023 McCormack, M.; Silke, A.; Kearns, A.; O’Toole, L.; Stafford, P.; Stokes, T.; Urban, M. (2023) 'Pedagogies of hope. Exploring play opportunities for young children in an urban environment' In: The Bloomsbury Handbook to Friedrich Froebel. London : Bloomsbury.
    2023 Guevara, Jennifer; Urban, Mathias (2023) 'UNICEF: self-transformation in a recon?gured global childhood space?' In: International Encyclopedia of Education (Fourth Edition). Oxford : Elsevier. [Link] https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818630-5.01056-3
    2023 Guevara, J.; Urban, M. (2023) 'UNICEF: self-transformation in a recon?gured global childhood space?' In: International Encyclopedia of Education, vol. 1. Europe : Elsevier. [DOI]
    2022 Urban, Mathias (2022) 'The temptations of block play' In: Ireland's yearbook of education. Dublin : Education Matters.
    2022 Urban, Mathias (2022) 'Tales from A Thousand and One Nights? New stories for Early Childhood Education and Care' In: Ireland’s Yearbook of Education 2022. Dublin : Education Matters.
    2022 Urban, Mathias; Macha, Katrin (2022) 'Frühp?dagogik neu denken' In: Halt(ungen) in Wandel - Qualit?t im Diskurs. Berlin, Germany : Deutscher Verein.
    2020 Urban, Mathias (2020) 'Common Good and Public Service. Crisis lessons for the future of early childhood education and care' In: Ireland's yearbook of education 2019-2020. Dublin : Education Matters.
    2019 Stefan Faas, Dagmar Kasüschke, Elena Nitecki, Mathias Urban & Helge Wasmuth (2019) 'Introduction' In: Globalization, Transformation, and Cultures in Early Childhood Education and Care - Reconceptualization and Comparison -. New York : Palgrave MacMillan.
    2019 Urban, Mathias; Gómez Mu?oz, Diana Paola; Zárate Pinto, Germán Camilo (2019) 'Learning with and from Colombia: perspectives on rights-based early childhood policies' In: International Handbook of Young Children's rights. London and New York : Routledge. [Link]
    2019 Urban, Mathias; Cardini, Alejandra; Guevara, Jennifer; Flórez, Rita; Okengo, Lynette (2019) 'Early Childhood Development Education and Care: the future is what we build today' In: Realizing Education for All in the Digital Age. Tokyo : Asian Development Bank Institute. [Link]
    2018 Urban, Mathias (2018) '(D)evaluation of early childhood education and care? A critique of the OECDs International Early Learning Study' In: Improving the Quality of Childhood in Europe Volume 8. Brussels : Alliance for Childhood.
    2018 Hayes, Nóirín and Urban, Mathias (2018) 'Early Childhood Education and Care: where so much begins' In: In Search of Social Justice: John Bennett's Lifetime Contribution to Early Childhood Policy and Practice. London and New York : Routledge.
    2018 Urban, Mathias (2018) 'Reimagining Early Childhood Education and Care in Ireland' In: Ireland's Yearbook of Education. Dublin : Education Matters.
    2018 Urban, Mathias (2018) 'Gentle, passionate, and most of all persistent: John Bennett’s Influence on European Union ECEC Policy' In: In Search of Social Justice: John Bennett's Lifetime Contribution to Early Childhood Policy and Practice. London and New York : Routledge. [Link]
    2018 Urban, Mathias and Hayes, Nóirín (2018) 'Much has been achieved – but now is not the time for complacency' In: In Search of Social Justice: John Bennett's Lifetime Contribution to Early Childhood Policy and Practice. London and New York : Routledge. [Link]
    2016 Urban, M. (2016) 'Starting Wrong? The trouble with a debate that just won’t go away' In: Critical Examinations of Quality. Regulation, Disqualification and Erasure. New York : Peter Lang.
    2015 Urban, M. & Murray, C. (2015) 'Internationale samenwerking: onderlinge steun en solidariteit' In: Ruimte voor jong en oud. Professioneel omgang with diversiteit. Amsterdam : SWP.
    2015 Urban, M. (2015) 'Starting wrong? A critical perspective on the latest permutation of the debate on the quality of early childhood provision' In: Improving the Quality of Childhood in Europe (Vol. 5). Brussels : Alliance for Childhood European Network Foundation.
    2015 Urban, M. (2015) 'A pedagogy based on critical consciousness and democratic values' In: Tuscan Approach Learning for Early Childhood Education and Care. Activities, results and perspectives. Florence : Istituto degli Innocenti.
    2014 Urban, M. (2014) 'Learning from the Margins: Early Childhood Imaginaries, ‘Normal Science’, and the Case for a Radical Reconceptualisation of Research and Practice' In: Reconceptualizing Early Childhood Care and Education: Critical Questions, Diverse Imaginaries and Social Activism. New York : Peter Lang Publishers.
    2013 Urban, M. (2013) 'Sistemas competentes en la educación de la primera infancia' In: Primera infancia, lenguajes e inclusión social: una mirada desde la investigación. Bogotá : Universidad Santo Tomás.
    2013 Urban, M. (2013) 'Professionalitaet und Kompetenz in der fruehkindlichen Bildung, Betreuung und Erziehung: systemisch, politisch und dialogorientiert' In: VALIflex – les expériences. Personal mit niedriger Qualifizierung im non-formalen Bildungssystem. Luxembourg : Caritas.
    2012 Urban, M., & Dalli, C. (2012) 'A profession speaking - and thinking - for itself' In: Early childhood grows up: towards a critical ecology of the profession. Dordrecht and London : Springer.
    2010 Urban, M. & Dalli, C. (2010) 'Conclusion: Towards new understandings of the early years' profession: the need for a critical ecology' In: Professionalism in Early Childhood Education and Care. International perspectives. London : Routledge.
    2010 Urban, M. (2010) 'Duurzame verandering: professioneel leren in een kritische leergemeenschap' In: Permanent leren. Van zelfreflectie naar teamreflectie. Amsterdam : SWP.
    2010 Urban, M. (2010) 'Zones of Professional Development: arguments for reclaiming practice-based evidence in early childhood practice and research' In: Early Childhood Programs as the Doorway to Social Cohesion: Application of Vygotsky's Ideas from an East-West Perspective. Newcastle-upon- Tyne : Cambridge Scholars.
    2008 Urban, M. (2008) 'Wissenschaftliche Begleitung in kommunalen Netzwerken' In: Kommunale Netzwerke für Kinder. Ein Handbuch zur Governance frühkindlicher Bildung. Gütersloh : Bertelsmann Stiftung.
    2008 Urban, M. (2008) 'Critical Thinking in Forschung, Praxis und Politik: Der Joint European Master in Early Childhood Education and Care' In: Professionalisierung der Fruehpaedagogik. Opladen : Budrich.
    2005 Urban, M. (2005) 'Quality, Autonomy and the Profession' In: Questions of Quality - Proceedings of a Conference on Defining, Assessing and Supporting Quality in Early Childhood Care and Education. Dublin : Centre for Early Childhood Development & Education.

    Edited Book

    Year Publication
    2019 Faas, Stefan; Kasüschke, Dagmar; Nitecki, Elena; Urban, Mathias; Wasmuth, Helge (Ed.). (2019) Globalization, Transformation, and Cultures in Early Childhood Education and Care - Reconceptualization and Comparison -. New York: Palgrave MacMillan,
    2018 Hayes, Nóirín and Urban, Mathias (Ed.). (2018) In Search of Social Justice. John Bennett's Lifetime Contribution to Early Childhood Policy and Practice. London and New York: Routledge, [Link]

    Peer Reviewed Journal

    Year Publication
    2024 Macha, K.; Urban, M.; Lonnemann, J.; Wronski, C.; Hildebrandt, F. (2024) 'Making it explicit - Sustained shared thinking dialogue as a method to explore children’s perspectives on quality in German Early Childhood Education'. British Educational Research Journal, .
    2023 Macha, K.; Urban, M.; Lonnemann, J.; Wronski, C.; Hildebrandt, F. (2023) 'Children’s perspectives on quality in ECEC as a specific form of participation'. International Journal of Early Years Education, :1-15. [DOI]
    2023 Urban, M. (2023) 'Effective vagabonds? RECE in the micro- and macro-politics of critical early childhood scholarship'. International Critical Childhood Policy Studies, (Critical reflections and provocations from reconceptualist “elders”):28-31.
    2023 Urban, M.; Reiker?s, E.; Eidsv?g, G. M.; Guevara, J.; Saeb?, J.; Semmoloni, C. (2023) 'Nordic approaches to evaluation and assessment in early childhood education and care'. Global Studies of Childhood, 13 (3):200-216. [DOI]
    2022 Lake, Gillian; Urban, Mathias; Giblin, Fiona; French, Geraldine; Farrell, Therese (2022) 'Making a difference in the real world'. Evaluation and Program Planning, . [DOI]
    2022 Urban, M. (2022) 'Scholarship in times of crises: towards a trans-discipline of early childhood'. Comparative Education, 58 . [Link] [DOI]
    2022 Urban, Mathias; Guevara, Jennifer; Moss, Peter (2022) '?PISA desde la cuna? El Estudio Internacional de Aprendizaje Temprano e implicancias para América Latina'. Educacao e Pesquisa, 48 (1). [Link] https://doi.org/10.1590/S1678-4634202248248362esp
    2021 Arndt, S.; Smith, K.; Urban, M.; Ellegaard, T.; Blue Swadener, B.; Murray, C. (2021) 'Reconceptualising and (re)forming early childhood professional identities: Ongoing transnational policy discussions'. Policy Futures in Education, 19 . [Link] [DOI]
    2021 Lake, G; Urban, M; Giblin, F; French, G; Farrell, T (2021) 'Making a difference in the real world. User-centred impact evaluation of an eight-country, community-based early childhood programme'. Evaluation and Program Planning, 92 . [DOI]
    2020 Moss, Peter & Urban, Mathias (2020) 'The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s International Early Learning and Child Well-being Study: The scores are in!'. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 18 (2):250-258. [Link] https://doi.org/10.1177/1463949120929466
    2020 Arndt, Sonja; Smith, Kylie; Urban, Mathias; Ellegard, Tomas; Blue Swadener, Beth; Murray, Colette (2020) 'Reconceptualising and (re)forming early childhood professional identities: Ongoing transnational policy discussions'. Policy Futures in Education, . http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1478210320976015
    2020 Moss, P.; Urban, M. (2020) 'The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s International Early Learning and Child Well-being Study: The scores are in!'. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 21 . [Link] [DOI]
    2020 Urban, Mathias; Gomez Munoz, Diana Paola; Zarate Pinto, German Camilo (2020) 'LEARNING WITH AND FROM COLOMBIA Perspectives on Rights-Based Early Childhood Policies'. ROUTLEDGE INTERNATIONAL HANDBOOK OF YOUNG CHILDREN'S RIGHTS, .
    2019 Urban, M. (2019) 'The Shape of Things to Come and what to do about Tom and Mia: Interrogating the OECD’s International Early Learning and Child Well-Being Study from an anti-colonialist perspective'. Policy Futures in Education, 17 . [Link] [DOI]
    2019 Urban, Mathias (2019) '(E)Utopia: The Local, the Global and the Imaginary in Early Childhood Education'. GLOBALIZATION, TRANSFORMATION, AND CULTURES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE: RECONCEPTUALIZATION AND COMPARISON, .
    2019 Hayes, Noirin; Urban, Mathias (2019) 'Early childhood education and care Where so much begins'. IN SEARCH OF SOCIAL JUSTICE: JOHN BENNETT'S LIFETIME CONTRIBUTION TO EARLY CHILDHOOD POLICY AND PRACTICE, .
    2019 Urban, Mathias; Hayes, Noirin (2019) 'Much has been achieved - but now is not the time for complacency'. IN SEARCH OF SOCIAL JUSTICE: JOHN BENNETT'S LIFETIME CONTRIBUTION TO EARLY CHILDHOOD POLICY AND PRACTICE, .
    2019 Moss, P.; Urban, M. (2019) 'The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s International Early Learning Study: What’s going on'. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 20 . [Link] [DOI]
    2019 Urban, Mathias (2019) 'The Shape of Things to Come and what to do about Tom and Mia. Interrogating the OECD's International Early Learning Study from an anti-colonialist perspective'. Policy Futures in Education, . [Link] [DOI]
    2018 Arndt S.; Urban M.; Murray C.; Smith K.; Swadener B.; Ellegaard T. (2018) 'Contesting early childhood professional identities: A cross-national discussion'. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, . [DOI]
    2017 Urban, M. (2017) 'We need meaningful, systematic evaluation, not a preschool PISA'. Global Education Review, .
    2017 Urban, M. & Swadener, B. (2017) 'Democratic accountability and contextualised systemic evaluation. A comment on the OECD initiative to launch an International Early Learning Study (IELS)'. International Critical Childhood Policy Studies, .
    2017 Moss, P., & Urban, M. (2017) 'The OECD’s International Early Learning Study: what happened next'. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, .
    2016 Urban, M. (2016) 'At Sea: what direction for critical early childhood research?'. Journal of Pedagogy, .
    2016 Urban, M. (2016) 'At sea: What direction for critical early childhood research?'. Journal of Pedagogy, 7 (1):107-121. [DOI]
    2016 Jones, L., Urban, M., Osgood, J. & Holmes, R. (2016) 'Reimagining Quality in Early Childhood'. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, .
    2016 Urban, M. (2016) 'Editorial'. Journal of Pedagogy, .
    2016 Urban, M. (2016) 'Sufficiently well informed and seriously concerned? European Union policy responses to marginalisation, structural racism and institutionalised exclusion in early childhood'. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, .
    2016 Urban, M. (2016) 'Resisting ‘normal science’ in educational research'. Journal of Pedagogy, .
    2015 Urban, M. (2015) 'From ‘closing the gap’ to an ethics of affirmation. Reconceptualising the role of early childhood services in times of uncertainty'. European Journal of Education, .
    2014 Urban, M. (2014) 'Not solving problems, managing messes: competent systems in early childhood education and care'. Management in Education, .
    2014 Jones, L., Osgood, J., Urban, M., Holmes, M. & MacLure, M. (2014) 'Eu(rope): (Re)assembling, (Re)casting, and (Re)aligning Lines of De- and Re-territorialisation of Early Childhood'. International Review of Qualitative Research, .
    2012 Urban, M. (2012) 'Researching early childhood policy and practice: a critical ecology'. European Journal of Education, .
    2012 Urban, M. (2012) 'Editorial'. European Journal of Education, .
    2012 Urban, M., Vandenbroeck, M., Van Laere, K., Lazzari, A. & Peeters, J. (2012) 'Towards competent systems in early childhood education and care. Implications for policy and practice'. European Journal of Education, .
    2010 Urban, M. (2010) 'Rethinking Professionalism in Early Childhood: untested feasibilities and critical ecologies'. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, .
    2008 Urban, M. (2008) 'Dealing with uncertainty: challenges and possibilities for the early childhood profession'. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, .
    2008 Urban, M. & Dalli, C. (2008) 'Professionalism in Early Childhood Education and Care'. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, .

    Other Journal

    Year Publication
    2024 Bowe, A.; Urban, M.; Staines, A.; Murray, D. (2024) 'The impact of below average cognitive ability at age 5 years on childhood experience of school at age 9' Frontiers of Public Health, .
    2007 Urban, M. (2007) 'Strategies for Change: reflections from a systemic, comparative research project' .

    Published Report

    Year Publication
    2022 Urban, Mathias; Reiker?s, Elin; Eidsv?g, Gunnar Magnus; Guevara, Jennifer; Saeb?, Janken; Semmoloni, Carolina (2022) Nordic approaches to evaluation and assessment in early childhood education and care. Final report. Nordic Council of Ministers, . [Link] http://dx.doi.org/10.6027/temanord2022-512
    2022 Urban, M., Guevara, J., Cardini, A., Acosta, A.; Vargas-Barón, E., Costín, C., . . . Pangastuti, Y. (2022) Education for Survival. Strengthening multi-sectoral and integrated policy approaches to early childhood education, care, and development as a global common good. T20 Indonesia, . [Link]
    2021 Urban, M., Guevara, J., Cardini, A., Acosta, A., Vargas-Barón, E., Costín, C., . . . Priyono, D. (2021) How do we know goals are achieved? Integrated and multisectoral early childhood monitoring and evaluation systems as key to developing effective and resilient social welfare systems. T20 Italy, . [Link]
    2020 Blofield, M.; Braunstein, J.; Filguiera, F.; Grimalda, G.; Urban, M. (2020) Promoting Social Cohesion during Pandemics. Think 20 Task Force 4 Social Cohesion and the State. T20 Saudi Arabia, . [Link]
    2019 Urban, Mathias; Cardini, Alejandra; Guevara, Jennifer; Flórez, Rita; Okengo, Lynette (2019) Early Childhood Development Education and Care: The Future is What We Build Today. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) / T20 2019, . [Link]
    2018 Urban, Mathias; Cardini, Alejandra, Flórez Romero, Rita (2018) It Takes 大发体育在线_大发体育-投注|官网 Than a Village. Effective Early Childhood Development, Education and Care Services Require Competent Systems. T20 Argentina, . [Link]
    2017 Urban, M., Robson, S., & Scacchi, V. (2017) Review of Occupational Role Profiles in Ireland in Early Childhood Education and Care. Early Childhood Research Centre (ECRC), .
    2015 Urban, M. & Rubiano, C. (2015) Privatisation in Early Childhood Education. An explorative study on impacts and implications. Education International, .
    2011 Urban, M., Vandenbroeck, M., Van Laere, K., Lazzari, A. & Peeters, J. (2011) Competence requirements in early childhood education and care. Research documents. European Commission, .
    2011 Urban, M., Vandenbroeck, M., Van Laere, K., Lazzari, A. & Peeters, J. (2011) Competence requirements in early childhood education and care. Final report. European Commission, .

    Blog

    Year Publication
    2020 Urban, Mathias & Moss, Peter (2020) A testing challenge for early childhood. BLOG [Link]
    2018 Urban, Mathias (2018) You say you want a revolution. Dublin: BLOG [Link]
    2015 Urban, M. (2015) Cui bono? The myth of the closing gap and the need for radical reconceptualisation of early childhood research. BLOG

    Online Article

    Year Publication
    2015 Urban, M. (2015) A Competent System?. ELEA

    Editorial

    Year Publication
    2019 Hayes, Noirin; Urban, Mathias (2019) In Search of Social Justice John Bennett's Lifetime Contribution to Early Childhood Policy and Practice Preface. ED
    2019 Urban, Mathias; Milotay, Nora (2019) Gentle, passionate and, most of all, persistent John Bennett's influence on European Union ECEC policy. ED
    2019 Faas, Stefan; Kasueschke, Dagmar; Nitecki, Elena; Urban, Mathias; Wasmuth, Helge (2019) Globalization, Transformation, and Cultures in Early Childhood Education and Care Reconceptualization and Comparison PREFACE. ED

    Electronic Source

    Year Publication
    2021 Moss, Peter; Urban, Mathias (2021) El Estudio Internacional sobre Aprendizaje Temprano y Bienestar Infantil de la Organización para la Cooperación y el Desarrollo Económico: ?Ya están los resultados!. S?o Paulo, Brazil: ELES [Link]

    Other Publication

    Year Publication
    2023 Urban, M. (2023) The times they are a-changing. A call for integrated and multi-sectoral early childhood systems. [Link]
    2018 Urban, M. (2018) Editorial. [Link] [DOI]
    Certain data included herein are derived from the ? Web of Science (2024) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.