Editorial: Revitalizing European educational research in times of global change

As the global order undergoes rapid transformation, education and educational research face significant disruptions. This editorial underscores the responsibility of European education researchers to engage critically with the profound changes driven by geopolitical instability, climate change, the growing influence of non-state actors in education politics, international policy and the expanding impact of edu-business. European educational research, once a reference point for internationalization, is now scrutinized for the universality of its models and the colonial legacies within them. This prompts a necessary reconsideration of research frameworks, and the cultures and contexts prioritized in scholarship. The editorial outlines four focal areas: the rise of layered education governance and a shifting public arena shaping education; the interplay between knowledge, technology, markets and schooling; the political dynamics influencing policy agendas; and the changing conditions for European research within academic institutions. Together, these highlight the urgency for researchers to champion democratic values and principles, address ethical dimensions in knowledge production, explore historical perspectives and matters of concern and engage with emerging challenges both locally and globally. Ultimately, the European Educational Research Journal aims to publish innovative scholarship that responds to these dynamics, contributing to the development of democratic societies and European educational research.