Educating Cities Award

President of the European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA). He holds a PhD in Economics and Business Administration. Moreover, Dr. Tuomi holds teacher’s qualification.

During his career Dr. Tuomi was the Vice President of the Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences as well as director at Finnish National Agency for Education, a subsidiary of Finland’s Ministry of Education and Culture. He is also a founding partner of two companies in the field of publishing and strategic management. His research fields are among others lifelong learning and strategic management, competence management and management in education sector.

Ha ocupado varios cargos de confianza, entre los que destacan la participación en comités del Ministerio de Educación y Cultura, la vicepresidencia de la Asociación Finlandesa de Educación de Personas Adultas y la presidencia de la junta del conservatorio de Música de Helsinki. Es autor de varios libros y artículos científicos.

El dr. Tuomi considera que la educación, el desarrollo de los recursos humanos y la educación cívica son temas de plena actualidad. Según él, “el aprendizaje tiene un valor intrínseco y es uno de los pilares para una vida plena”.

Dr. Aina Tarabini is an Associate Professor of Sociology of Education at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and, since December 2025, she is the director of the GEPS (Globalisation, Education and Social Policies) Research Group. Her work examines social inequalities in education, with particular emphasis on secondary education and on the mechanisms through which education systems contribute to the (re)production and/or transformation of social inequalities.

She is the main researcher of several competitive national and European projects, including the ongoing LEARNER and Acompanya’m projects. Alongside her research activity, she is deeply committed to teaching and teacher training. She has been a visiting professor and invited speaker at different universities and research centres across Europe and Latin America, and she actively participates in international academic networks in her field.

She is the author of numerous articles in international scientific journals, books and books chapters, as well as editor and co-editor of several collective volumes on educational inequalities, school initiatives, youth trajectories, and social justice in education. She also maintains a strong commitment to knowledge transfer and public engagement, collaborating with public administrations, municipalities and social organizations.

Journalist, publicist, lecturer. Author of books: “Wariacje Tischnerowskie”, “Pobudka Kościele”, “Kościół w czasach dobrej zmiany”.

For seven years he was the director of the Civic Institute [Instytut Obywatelski] – the political think tank of the Polish political party Civic Platform [Platforma Obywatelska, PO]. Chairman of this party in Katowice. Resident of the famous working-class district of Nikiszowiec in Katowice. Founder of the BoMiasto association.

From 2014 to 2018 he was a councillor of the Silesian Voivodeship Assembly [Sejmik Województwa Śląskiego]. Since 2018 he has been member of the city council of Katowice. Chairman of the Civic Coalition Councillors Club [Klub Radnych Koalicji Obywatelskiej] and chairman of the Climate Committee, which was established in Katowice, the first in Poland. He publishes in “Gazeta Wyborcza”, “Newsweek”, “Polityka”.

He skilfully combines political activity with activities for culture and education, in high schools in Pszczyna and Kraków, in the Higher School of Business [Wyższa Szkoła Biznesu] in Nowy Sącz, or in the Korczak University in Katowice. He also managed the Museum of the Koźle.

She currently directs the Institute for Gender Studies at the State Distance University of Costa Rica (UNED), she is a member of the Steering Committee of the Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO), and she coordinates the UNED Academic Accessibility Network. She also actively participates in national and international networks on inclusive education, social sciences, and feminism.

She has published several books, articles, webinars and presentations at both national and international level and has broad experience in special education and accessibility, both in management, teaching and advisory roles. She worked as National Advisor on Technical Aids and was Executive Director of the National Resource Centre for Educational Inclusion (CENAREC). She was also National Advisor on support plans for autonomy for the National Children’s Trust (PANI) and a member of the Scientific Council of the Education Research Centre at the State Distance Learning University (2019-2021). She has served as an educational manager in special education centres, as a teacher in direct and itinerant care services, and has participated in several non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Her work is focused on promoting human rights and equality from an intersectional approach, fostering accessible, supportive and participatory environments for the development of children, adolescents and women, and promoting the use of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), technological resources and strategies to strengthen self-determination.

Jonathan González holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the Universidad Iberoamericana, León campus. He has a Master’s degree in Educational Technology from Universidad La Salle, a Certificate in Strategic Marketing and another in Competency and Leadership Assessment and Strengthening from the Tecnológico de Monterrey, León campus.

He served as Regional Coordinator for the Coordination for Investment Programming in Guanajuato (COPI), worked as a Process Advisor to the State Secretary of Education, was Director of Personnel Development at the Guanajuato State Department of Education, State Director of Distance High School Studies in Guanajuato, and Coordinator of the Mexican Network of Educating Cities.

He is currently the General Director of Education of Leon City Council, a member of the Executive Committee of the International Association of Educating Cities, and a member of the International Network “the City of Children”.