Faith And Education
Le pèlerinage comme Aletheia : Le dévoilement expérientiel de la vérité dans un voyage sacré
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Simon
We connect school leaders, policy-makers, and organisations with an elite network of values-driven serving practitioners and leading university academics.
What makes Koinonia Educational different? We are a curated, not-for-profit collective of serving secondary school headteachers, current policy-makers, and leading university professors.
We provide relevant, actionable insights from living the daily challenges of the global education sector. We deliver expert-led public speaking, bespoke research, and executive coaching grounded in current reality, not outdated models.
Our work arose from the Koinonia Schools’ Project, a collaboration of primary, secondary, and international schools. Led by Simon Uttley and based on research-informed practice, this ground-breaking partnership with St. Mary’s University, Twickenham, set a new standard. Now in our tenth year, we have KoinEd Associate Scholars in the UK, US, Poland, Ukraine, and beyond.
At Koinonia Educational, our mission is to gather the best speakers, practitioners, researchers, and coaches for the benefit of the broader education community. As a not-for-profit, we value collaboration, integrity, cultural responsiveness, and a passion for lifelong learning. We are committed to empowering educators and institutions worldwide to thrive and make a lasting impact.
Meet our Director, Simon Uttley. As a serving secondary school Headteacher, Professor of Education at the University of Notre Dame (USA), London, and Honorary Professor at St Mary’s University, London, his work is at the intersection of practice and academia.
Tailored solutions for educational leaders, delivered by current experts.
Inspiring keynotes, workshops, and seminars from active leaders sharing proven, practical strategies.
Confidential, one-to-one coaching for senior leaders, delivered by experienced and qualified peers.
Custom research solutions from practitioners and academics that deliver actionable, institution-specific insights.
Curated, high-quality resources and expert guidance to support teaching, learning, and policy.
Our network of trusted experts
Senior Associate Director, Notre Dame Global - University of Notre Dame, USA
I am a senior international education professional at the University of Notre Dame, where I have worked in global and international education since 2007. My career has focused on the design, leadership, and administration of mission-driven study-abroad programs, student formation initiatives, and international engagement strategies within a Catholic higher education context.
From 2013-2018, I lived and worked in London as the Director of Student Affairs for Notre Dame’s London Programme, the University’s largest and most distinctive international programme. In this role, which I created, I helped shape the student experience for a large residential academic community of both undergraduate and graduate students, providing leadership in student support, formation, intercultural learning, and programme development. During this period, I created and developed a robust internship and placement programme that became central to student engagement and to the long-term success of the programme, connecting academic study with experiential learning in professional, cultural, and service-oriented settings. It was also an excellent means of forming outstanding partnerships with organisations across the board: government, corporate, churches, schools, the arts, and other service industries.
Across my roles at Notre Dame, my work has consistently bridged institutional mission, global educational practice, and student development. While my position is administrative rather than faculty-based, my professional focus has involved sustained engagement with questions of educational purpose, Catholic identity, and the formative dimensions of international education. This practitioner experience directly informs my current doctoral research on mission and internationalisation in Catholic higher education.
Professor of Catholic Education - St Mary’s University, London, TW1 4SX
BA (Hons) University of Durham)
PGCE (University of Liverpool)
MA in Catholic School Leadership (University of Surrey)
PhD (University of Surrey)
Assistant Headteacher, Salesian School Chertsey
Senior Lecturer St Mary’s University (2002-2015)
Programme Director MA in Catholic School Leadership (2015-2021)
Associate Professor St Mary’s University (2015-2021)
Professor of Catholic Education St Mary’s University (2021)
Professor of Education University of Notre Dame
Visiting Professor Pontifical and Royal University Santo Tomas The Philippines
Catholic School Leadership
Distinctive Religious Charisms
Spiritual Capital
Spiritual & Theological Foundations of Catholic Education
Ethos, Culture and Climate of Catholic Schools
Moral Theology (Ethics)
Chapter in Book
Lydon, J, (2025), Influence, Impact and Opportunity: The Charism of St John Bosco in Robinson, C. & Coll, R. Teaching Charisms in the Catholic Church: lnfluence, lmpact and Opportunity, Singapore, Springer
Chapter in Book
Lydon, J. (2025), The MA in Catholic School Leadership at St Mary’s University: Trajectory in Retrospect in Whittle, S (Editor), Towards a Distinctive and Inclusive Theology of Catholic Education Studies: Critical Reflections on the work of Professor John Sullivan,, Abingdon, Taylor & Francis
Journal Article
Lydon, J, & Glackin M, (2024), Exploring the extent to which ‘spiritual capital’ is impactful in a cross-section of Catholic Independent schools with a founding religious trusteeship in International Studies in Catholic Education, March, Vol. 16, No.1
Chapter in Book
Lydon, J. (2024) Leadership Ideals in the 21st Century: Servant and Christ-Centred Leadership In: Whittle, S & Wodon, Q. (Editor), Leadership Matters in Catholic Education, Singapore, Springer
Journal Article
Lydon, J, (2023), The Perennial Impact of the Salesian Education: a perspective from the UK, International Studies in Catholic Education, Vol. 15, No. 1.
Chapter in Book
Lydon, J. (2023), ‘Leadership Ideals for the 21st Century: Servant and Christ-Centred Leadership’. In: L. Franchi, S. Whittle, S. and Q. Wodon (Ed.) Catholic Education Globally: Challenges and Opportunities, Singapore, Springer
Journal Article
Lydon, J. (forthcoming 2023), Global Compact on Education and Its Implications for the Teacher’s Practice in the Classroom (Curitba Brazil: Marist Brothers Publications).
Chapter in Book
Lydon, J. (2022) The Perennial Impact of Salesian Accompaniment in a Context of Detraditionalisation’. In: E. Conway (Academic Editor) Special Edition of the Journal Religions 2022, Basel: MDPI.
Conference Organiser/ Joint Organiser
1. 2025 GRACE COLLOQUIUM 2025 (St Mary’s University, London) -175 attendees
2. 2022 NfRCE CONFFERENCE 2022 (St Mary’s University, London) -100 attendees
3. 2021 ST MARY’S/ACU CONFERENCE 2021 (St Mary’s University, London) -100 attendees
Professional Bodies/ NGOs
• Distinguished international partner with the Global Researchers Advancing Catholic Education (GRACE) with Australia, Ireland and the United States.
• Member of the Global Catholic Leadership Project in association wth ACU and other International Partners.
• Leader of the Thematic Group on Education of the Forum for Catholic-Inspired NGOs (Vatican Secretariat of State)
• Member of the Steering Committee of the Catholic-Inspired NGO Forum
• Member of the Executive Advisory Group, World Union of Catholic Teachers (Headquarters in The Vatican) Member of the Salesian Schools (UK) Animation Team (Evaluation of Salesian distinctiveness)
• Representative for Roman Catholic Church and member of the Resources Committee, Religious Education Council for England and Wales.
• Member of the Executive, Catholic Association of Teachers, Schools and Colleges for England and Wales
• Member of Catholic Association of Teachers Schools & Colleges Research Committee responsible for awarding research grants
• Member of the Executive Council, Catholic Union of Great Britain
• Chair of the Education and Events Committee, Catholic Union Charitable Trust since October 2018
• International Federation of Catholic Universities (FIUC)
Course Lead, MA in Catholic School Leadership - St Mary’s University, London
Dr Caroline Healy holds degrees from the Universities of Wales, Massachusetts and Brunel, London. She is currently the Course Lead for the MA in Catholic School Leadership at St Mary’s University, London, a long-standing and well-regarded formation programme for school leaders and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
She has held roles in higher education for over 30 years and has experience of teaching in the systems of the UK, United States and Ireland and carrying out research in collaboration with a number of European countries. Caroline has been the General Secretary of the Catholic Association of Teachers, Schools and Colleges for England & Wales since 2015 which represents the majority of Catholic schools. She was also an elected member of the Council of the Catholic Union of Great Britain between 2015-2024, to advance Catholic education in the wider public arena and is currently Vice-Chair of its Education Committee. In 2022, she was elected as a member of the Executive of the World Union of Catholic Teachers, which is the only international lay teacher organisation formally recognised by the Vatican and has consultative status with UNESCO. Caroline is also a Trustee of the St Mary’s university charity SHOCC which promotes student and staff volunteering in schools and orphanages in Africa.
Caroline supervises doctoral students who focus their research on wide-ranging aspects of Catholic education and leadership and is an Executive Editor of the International Studies in Catholic Education journal, edited by Professor John Lydon. She was awarded the prestigious International Marist Brothers Medal for her support of the Marist charism in 2023. In 2025, she co-organised the very successful international GRACE (Global Researchers Advancing Catholic Education) 2025 Colloquium as part of the St Mary’s University 175th Anniversary celebrations.
Her current research interests concern formation of Catholic school teachers and leaders which has recently been published by Springer in an edited volume Irish and British Reflections on Catholic Education (ed. Sean Whittle) as a chapter co-authored with John Lydon entitled ‘Shepherding Talent – a informal formation programme for aspiring school leaders’. She was also most privileged to be invited to write a chapter for Prof. Gerald Grace’s festschrift entitled ‘Catholic Education and a New Christian Humanism: in Honour of Grace’ In: S. Whittle (ed.) New Thinking, New Scholarship and New Research in Catholic Education: Responses to the Work of Professor Gerald Grace (London: Routledge).
Caroline’s research is currently principally concerned with Catholic identity and distinctiveness in education, formation of Catholic teachers and Catholic school leaders and maintenance of religious charisms.
She has also researched on the Politics of Education, especially the ever-changing relationship between the state, the market and institutions of education. Of significance too, are the emerging forces of culture and society, which are increasingly impacting on education and Catholic schools.
Areas of focus have included Catholic education, international education, government policy and reforms of schools education, further education and higher education policy, comparative higher education policy, research policy, mature students, lifelong learning, non-formal higher education and the relationship between education and health. A perennial concern has been widening participation and inclusion for underrepresented groups in higher education and education.
Caroline is a doctoral supervisor and invites expressions of interest from any prospective postgraduate students interested in focusing on:
Healy, C. (2021) ‘Catholic Education and a New Christian Humanism: in Honour of Grace’. In: S. Whittle (ed.) New Thinking, New Scholarship and New Research in Catholic Education: Responses to the Work of Professor Gerald Grace (London: Routledge).
(open access link to Chapter)
Healy, C. & J. Lydon (2021) ‘Shepherding Talent: an informal formation programme for aspiring school leaders’, Chapter 13, In: G. Byrne & S. Whittle (eds.) Irish and British Reflections on Catholic Education (Singapore: Springer).
(Link to eChapter)
Hast, M. & C. Healy (2018) “It’s like fifty-fifty”: using the student voice towards enhancing undergraduates’ engagement with online feedback provision, Journal of Teaching and Learning with Technology, Vol. 7, No. 1, Spring 2018, pp. 139-151. ISSN 2165-2554 DOI (open access)
Hast, M. & C. Healy (2016) ‘Higher education marking in the electronic age: Quantitative and qualitative student insight’. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences. ISSN 1877-0428
(open access)
Binchy, J. & C. Healy (2008) An Evaluation of Interventions and Supports for Disadvantaged Students in Three Secondary Schools in Rural County Limerick (Limerick: County Limerick Vocational Education Committee).
Healy, C. (2007): ‘Moving On: Achieving Equity of Access to Higher Education’. Chapter in: Why Not Me? Keys to Success from 10 Years of Learning,’ pp. 29 – 31. Proceedings of Colloquium on Educational Disadvantage held in Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, 19th June 2007 (Dublin: Combat Poverty Agency).
Healy, C. (2006) An Evaluation of the Pre-University Programme in Newcastlewest, Co. Limerick (Limerick: Learner Support Unit, Mary Immaculate College).
Binchy, J. & C. Healy (2005) A Qualitative Analysis of Travellers in Third Level (Limerick: Learner Support Unit, Mary Immaculate College).
Healy, C. (2004) Submission to Contribute towards the Development of a National Traveller Education Strategy (Dublin: Department of Education and Science).
Kelleher, K., C. Healy and A. McGinley (2004) Traveller Health Services: Regional Strategy Statement and Action Plan 2002-2005 (Limerick: Mid-Western Health Board).
Kelleher, K., C. Healy and A. McGinley (2003) ‘Traveller Health: A Research Project to Develop an Action Plan for the Mid-Western Health Board’, National Institute of Health Sciences Research Bulletin, June, Vol. 2, Issue 1, pp. 28-30.
Townsend, J. and C. Healy (2002) A Research and Development Strategy for the Hillingdon Primary Care Trust (London: Hillingdon Primary Care Trust and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine).
Kogan M., C. Healy, R. Lewis and R. Williams (2001) An Evaluation of the Targeted Initiative on Access for Mature Students in Ireland (London: Centre for Higher Education, Research and Innovation, Open University).
Kogan, M. and C. Healy (2000) Lifelong Learning: the implications for universities in the UK (Brussels: European Commission, DG XXII).
Healy, C. (1999) ‘Lifelong Learning and the University in the UK: a literature review’ (part of an article for the European Journal of Education, 2000 Vol. 35, No. 3 pp. 343-359).
Kogan, M. and C. Healy, (1999) ‘Non-Official Higher Education in the UK’ in Non-Official Higher Education in the European Union, pp. 315-386 (Athens: Centre for Social Morphology and Social Policy, Panteion University).
Caroline is currently providing the Continuous Professional Development Shepherding Talent Programme to Catholic schools in dioceses and multi-academy trusts in England and Ireland, which is a popular short course for schoolteachers and leaders. Participants can continue to the MA in Catholic School Leadership.
She is also currently part of a research project funded by the Religious of Christian Education to examine the impact of their charism in education in a contemporary context. She is also a member of the steering committee for Global Researchers Advancing Catholic Education (GRACE). Prior to this, she was part of an exciting research project concerning the research capacity-building of post-doctoral researchers from Africa funded by Porticus.
Previous consultancy work and evaluations have been completed when working as a full-time researcher at the Centre for the Evaluation of Public Policy (CEPPP), Department of Government and Politics (directed by the late Professor Maurice Kogan) and the Health Economics Research Group (HERG), Faculty of Social Sciences, Brunel University (directed by Emeritus Professor Martin Buxton), often in partnership with the Centre for Higher Education Research and Innovation (CHERI), Open University, UK (directed by Emeritus Professor John Brennan). This included funded projects for the European Commission, the Nuffield Foundation for the UK Foresight Programme, the Swedish Council for Higher Education and the UK’s Department of Health. Further consultancy work in Ireland has been completed for the Higher Education Authority, Dublin, County Limerick’s further education sector, Ireland, the Dormant Accounts Fund, the Department of Public Health, Mid-Western Health Board, the Shannon Consortium, the American-Ireland Fund and the Society of St Vincent de Paul charity.
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Welcome to the Koinonia Educational (KE) Resource Area. Here, you can access action research and curated educational papers from the KE Partners stable and beyond. Our goal is to support school leaders with high-quality thinking on leadership, faith-based education, and societal challenges.
St Bernadette Soubirous of Lourdes is one of the most popular modern saints of the Catholic Church, whose influence extends beyond the Church to include
Simon Uttley One of the really heavyweight philosophical thinkers of the twentieth century was by no means uncontroversial, though the depth of his thinking and
Judy L Hutchinson, University of Notre Dame (USA) & Koinonia Associate Scholar (pdf link available at foot of the article) Across educational systems, few concepts
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