DrPaola Eiras

Dr Paola Eiras is an educator and scholar in Intercultural Studies, with a PhD in Sociology (UK), a postdoctoral fellowship in Educational Anthropology (Denmark), a Master’s degree by research in Linguistics (Brazil), and a research background in the medical sciences. This multidisciplinary trajectory enables her to engage with complex, interdisciplinary, and ethically sensitive research contexts across the social and health sciences. Her scholarship focuses on cultural identities, intercultural positioning, interculturalisation of education, and the dynamics of multicultural spaces as microcosms of globalised societies, drawing on spatial theory, human geography, sociology, and hermeneutics.

Paola is a senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) and a Lecturer in the School of Communication and Social Sciences and at the Institute of Education, where she designed and coordinates the postgraduate subject Intercultural and International Communication, delivered across three Master’s programs: International Relations, Strategic Communication, and Education. She also developed the module Qualitative Research Methods and contributes to curriculum design. Her teaching extends to the sociology and psychology of education within the Master of Education program (Teaching for Complexity and Diversity). 

In her role as Global and Professional Experiences Coordinator, Paola oversees the Global Exchange program for the Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, supporting students in developing meaningful international and intercultural learning experiences. Her work is grounded in student-centred approaches that advance culturally responsive, globally engaged, and socially impactful teaching and research practices.

Paola’s transcultural journey began as an international student in the United Kingdom in 1995, where she later completed her doctoral studies. She has since lived and worked in China, Denmark, and Australia. Her research is underpinned by strong expertise in qualitative methodologies, and she collaborates across interdisciplinary teams, contributing to diverse research agendas and perspectives.