Who are you?

Qazi Ahmed, Postdoctoral Researcher, Faculty of Education and Psychology.

Why are you here? 

Well, it’s been a long journey. I came to Finland in 2013 for my master’s degree. After completing it in 2016, I thought I’d just go back and serve in my own country, in a school or a university somewhere.  But then I developed a further interest in studying and I was admitted to a PhD program.  

In my PhD, I did research about homeschool cooperation about my own country, Pakistan, particularly in rural areas. I collected data from parents, teachers, and children about this homeschool cooperation concept. 

After my PhD, I became interested in how those socio-culturally and economically diverse families who moved with their children educate their children in Finnish schools. I wanted to understand the cooperation between immigrant families and Finnish schools, and after my PhD, I started my postdoctorate research on the topic. And since then I’ve been working on data from immigrant families. 

So my journey here in Finland starts in 2013 as a master’s student, and then I’ve had a continuous association with the University of Jyväskylä’s Department of Education. 

Where would you be if you weren’t here? 

I’d probably be teaching somewhere in my own country. I got my interest and passion for teaching from my father. He was also a school teacher. 

After I got my bachelor’s degree in Pakistan, I had the options of becoming a school teacher and or to pursue further education. 

Back in those days, I read some articles stating that Finnish education is the best in the world, and their teachers are very good. 

So, you know, it became my passion to learn more about the Finnish education system. Then I got the admission here. 

What is not talked about enough in your field of research? 

Research done in the rural areas of Pakistan is very scarce. 65 percent of the population of Pakistan live in rural areas. 

So the phenomenon of homeschool cooperation is rarely researched in the rural areas. And how illiterate or otherwise less privileged people cooperate with the schools and what challenges they face. I believe that’s been barely researched before. 

I strive to give a voice to rural infromants through research. I currently feel like research on immigrant families in Finland is also a less researched topic. 

What is talked about too much in your field of research?  

Generally, this concept of homeschool cooperation, parental involvement, parental engagement, or homeschool partnership has been extensively discussed. And I think that is the cornerstone of the success of children’s education, because parents’ and teachers’ cooperation plays a vital role. But every country and every context is different, and every education system also works very differently. 

Describe your work in three words:  

Reading, passion and hard work. 

What are Finnish students like?  

All through my studies, I found Finnish students very helpful, cooperative, and supportive.  But it seems to me that they don’t socialize much with internationals. I’m not saying they don’t like international people. Maybe it’s like something else. 

But once you get to know them, you will find them very hardworking and responsible. 

What do you think about the Finnish school system?  

I think Finnish schools’ performance is outstanding. There’s a sustainable education system in Finland. 

And for a long time, they ranked very high in PISA results. I think that the cornerstone of the success of the Finnish education system are the Finnish teachers. They are very professional, very hardworking. 

You often hear that the immigrants are not performing well in Finnish schools. Maybe the teachers are not as thoroughly trained on multicultural classroom environments.  

A good teacher is like… 

I would certainly say that a good teacher is like a Finnish school teacher. I have found them very professional, and they’re well equipped to deal with every situation. 

But in addition to that, there’s a lot of migration as of now. 

 I think it’s safe to say that every Finnish school is now a multicultural school.  I think a teacher must be versed in the diversity, in the multicultural classroom setting, and how to deal with the challenges that come with immigrant families and children. 

What does your desk look like? 

A lot of files on the table, because, you know, I work mainly with data. Sometimes full of papers, sometimes there’s only my laptop and me. 

What’s the most scary animal in your opinion? 

Well, I have not been scared so far by any animal, but what we have heard, and we learn to know that a lion, that’s the scariest animal. 

What was your favourite subject in school? 

My favorite subject in school was English. I was interested in poems and novels. 

What are you dreaming of? 

It’s my goal and my dream to grow in the field of research and become a professor one day. 

Which colleague would you like to send the torch to next? 

Jamshed Iqbal, from JYU Business Department.