Dr Mireia Tintoré participated in a workshop organised by the Catholic University of Porto (UCP) on 23 November. During the workshop she presented the results of her research team on the leadership of Portuguese headteachers, in a session entitled “Life stories of Portuguese headteachers. What research tells us”. 

During May and June last year, a group of eight researchers, including professor Tintoré interviewed twenty individual headteachers in Portuguese schools in order to make a record of their life stories, and in this way gain an insight into headteachers perceptions of their training as school leaders.  

With the aim of analysing the data collected, and acquiring a greater understanding of it, a group discussion and reflection was held as part of a workshop at the Portuguese university.  twenty headteachers from Portuguese state and private schools participated in the workshop.  

This activity helped to strengthen the links between research and the real context, allowing for direct contact with participants through the data collected, while at the same time listening to interpretations, surprise elements and suggestions from the group of headteachers and incorporating these into the process.