Critical Creative Pedagogies

What do we do?

In the context of social and economic inequality, global ecological challenges, and other urgent societal issues, education plays a central role in how young people learn to critically relate to their environment. It supports them in becoming resilient and adaptable, in creating space for counter-voices, and in developing new perspectives together. To learn and practice this, the educational system in which they themselves function as students is the crucial starting point. This system, too, has long been shaped by inequalities of power and persistent problems. It is here that the shared journey of exploration and development begins, involving students, teachers, staff, and the professorship’s researchers. .

The name Critical Creative Pedagogies encapsulates the professorship’s commitment to rethinking and transforming education through three interconnected lenses: criticality, creativity and pedagogy.

Critical refers to the need to engage deeply with the underlying power structures and historical contexts that shape contemporary education. In addition to acknowledging the genealogy of colonial violence, we also recognise how our knowledge and educational systems have long been embedded in gender inequality and economic power relations. This highlights the importance of critical reflection on how knowledge is produced, disseminated, and consumed. By scrutinising these dynamics, we aim to disrupt entrenched hierarchies and foster a more equitable and just educational landscape.

Creative underscores the unique position of HKU as an institution that trains creative professionals. Creativity here is not just about artistic expression, but also about innovative problem-solving and the ability to envision and create alternative futures. It is through creative research and practices that students can challenge dominant paradigms, explore new ways of knowing, and contribute to the development of a more sustainable and inclusive world.

Pedagogies signifies the active, dynamic, and plural nature of teaching and learning. Pedagogy is understood as an ongoing praxis—an intentional and reflective practice that shapes, and is shaped by, the interactions between educators and learners. The plural ‘pedagogies’ highlights our rejection of one-size-fits-all solutions in favour of multiple, diverse approaches. By embracing a multiplicity of pedagogical strategies, we create spaces where different identities, experiences, and perspectives can thrive, thereby fostering a richer and more inclusive educational environment.

How do we do it?

To address the professorship's central focus, we work with three interconnected research lines that serve as flexible, overarching frameworks through which we explore the phenomena and practices relevant to our work. These lines are designed not as isolated paths but as interconnected fields of inquiry, each capable of informing and enriching the others. Within these areas, we work within the realm of artistic research in combination with theoretical investigation and qualitative methodologies including, participatory action research and (auto)ethnography.

Research in Creative Education

The professorship is based on the belief that research is a cornerstone of higher (arts) education, especially in the further development of the universities of applied sciences where the integration of theoretical knowledge with practical application is paramount. Transdisciplinary, practice-based artistic research is central to HKU's educational and research vision, emphasising the need to prepare students for a dynamic and evolving creative professional landscape.

Creative Pedagogies of Care

The professorship emphasises the responsibility of artists and educators to address urgent societal issues. Central to this vision is the establishment of Care as both a practical and ethical focal point. By integrating care with a commitment to social justice, environmental responsibility and ethical praxis, the professorship acts upon its foundational belief that care is inherently tied to ethical considerations. This framework operates both inside and outside the educational organisation—whether directly in care contexts, at the intersection of the arts and health sector, or in the daily practices of teaching and learning within our own institution.

Critical Unlearning Spaces

This research line is deeply rooted in the context of decoloniality, and non-hierarchical, and socially just pedagogies. It is dedicated to exploring and creating spaces within education that foster an empowering and liberating experience for all learners. Unlearning, within this framework, is seen as a deliberate and transformative process that requires educators and learners alike to abandon entrenched ideas, release obsolete beliefs, and discard unhelpful practices. In the arts and education, unlearning becomes a powerful tool for reorienting values, norms, and behaviours by changing cognitive structures, mental models, and dominant logics.

Focus/Practises

The research group develops its research lines within three practices: Neuroinclusive Arts Education, Queering Pedagogies of Care, and Research in Education.

Our projects

Public Lecture and Installation