Meet the people behind the GRASP project
Behind every successful project is a team of dedicated people. We combine different backgrounds, expertise and perspectives to create innovative educational resources and meaningful international collaboration.
Niels Van Hoof
Project Coordinator, Teacher Educator & Philosopher
Niels Van Hoof is project coordinator of GRASP. He is a teacher trainer, project worker and philosopher. Before his career as a teacher trainer, he taught for 16 years in primary education. During these years he implemented P4C (philosophy for/with children) in the classroom. The past years he worked on several successful Erasmus+ projects like ALiCE (assessment for learning in citizenship education) and T-ACT (teaching advanced critical thinking). His expertise lies in didactics of primary education, care in education and philosophy/philosophizing in education. Striving for inspiring and fruitful thinking practices in the classroom to get a grasp on concepts, ideas, and learning matter.
Ruben Macqouy
Researcher, Teacher Educator & Philosopher
Ruben Macquoy is a philosopher by training, a teacher educator in early childhood education, and a researcher at the Research Centre for Future-Driven Education of KdG University of Applied Sciences and Arts. His work focuses on citizenship, dialogue, and critical thinking, exploring how education can foster reflective, democratic, and meaningful engagement with society.
Ilze Ivanova
Senior Research Advisor & Professor Emeritus
Dr. paed. prof. Emeritus Ilze Ivanova has been affiliated with the University of Latvia for 44 years and has contributed to the development and delivery of PhD, Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Teacher Professional Education programmes within the Faculty of Education Sciences and Psychology. Throughout her career, she has served as Assistant Dean, Head of the University of Latvia Distance Education Centre, and Head of the Department of Education Sciences. She has extensive experience in international cooperation projects, acting both as coordinator and participant in TEMPUS, Grundtvig, Socrates, Erasmus and bilateral projects. Her research interests include adult education, teacher education, inclusive education, and the development of educational environments.
Gry Eliassen
Senior Lecturer
Democracy & Human Rights Expert
Gry is a senior lecturer, MA in Theology and has also done political Science Studies. She teaches Citizenship, Ethics, Philosophy, and Religious Studies at University College Copenhagen/ KP. Her areas of expertise include: Antisemitism, citizenship and democracy , didactics of religion and philosophy, Political Philosophy and human rights. She is Involved in projects concerning antisemitism and democracy
Lakshmi Sigurdsson
Senior Lecturer & Citizenship Education Expert
Lakshmi Sigurdsson is a senior lecturer, MA in Religious Studies and a Master of Citizenship Education. She teaches Citizenship, Ethics, Philosophy, and Religious Studies at University College Copenhagen/ KP. Her areas of expertise include citizenship, didactics of religion and philosophy, the political philosophy of Hannah Arendt, human rights, and intercultural education. She was co-creator of the Erasmus+ ConCitizen project (2022-2025) and co-editor of the textbook based on the project, and author of several academic books and articles.
Tine Van den Broeck
Teacher Educator & Critical Thinking Facilitator
Tine studied philosophy and theatre and enjoys doing both at the same time. She is a member of Exploratio, Research Centre of Critical Thinking at Odisee University of Applied Sciences. She philosophizes with young people and adults, mainly on topics such as Media Literacy, Art, Language, and Nature of Science. She is also a teacher trainer in Art Education.
Ama Amitai
Sociologist & Educational Researcher
Ama Amitai is a sociologist and educational researcher with a PhD in Educational Sociology. She works on critical thinking and citizenship education through philosophical dialogue at ExploRatio, which is a research centre for critical thinking at Odisee University of Applied Sciences, as well as working on citizenship education at Karel de Grote University of Applied Sciences. Her research and training work focuses on supporting teachers in fostering critical thinking, navigating controversial issues, and engaging students to think about multiple perspectives.
Andy Stoycheff, MBA
Senior Researcher, Cognitive Science & Neuroscience
Andy is the founder and director of NTCenter, where he leads strategic development, international partnerships, and research initiatives. His work focuses on critical thinking, media and information literacy, disinformation, and emerging societal challenges, combining insights from cognitive science, psychology, neuroscience, and education. With extensive experience in international research and Erasmus+ projects, he is committed to developing evidence-based educational solutions that strengthen democratic resilience and informed decision-making.
Dr. Vladimir Pachemanov
Researcher & Assistant Professor, Media and Information Literacy & Controversies
Dr. Vladimir Pachemanov is a researcher and assistant professor in the History of Philosophy Department at Sofia University. His work explores the history of ideas, critical thinking, and innovative approaches to teaching philosophy and media literacy. His research focuses on dialogue, dialectical thinking, and helping learners navigate complexity, contradictions, and multiple perspectives in contemporary social contexts.
Raya Rankova
Junior Researcher, Education & Psychology
Raya Rankova is a Junior Researcher at NTCenter, working at the intersection of psychology, education, and applied research. She contributes to research on critical thinking, learning processes, and media literacy, supporting the development and evaluation of evidence-based educational interventions. Her work includes data analysis and experimental research, including the use of eye-tracking technology to better understand responses to disinformation and cognitive challenges.
Julita Pigulevičienė
Founder & Director, Project Management
Julita Pigulevičienė is the founder and director of Social Projects Institute (Lithuania). She has more than 25 years of experience in education and over 15 years of experience in managing and coordinating international and national projects.