High ability studies

Abstract

With this new issue of High Ability Studies, I commence the first editorship of my professional career. It is a real honor for me, and I am deeply grateful to the General Committee of the European Council of High Abilities (ECHA) for this opportunity. I feel genuinely overwhelmed by your confidence in me, and this incredible opportunity to lead such a prestigious journal in the field of giftedness and talent. I also want to express my gratitude to Dr. Albert Ziegler, the last Editor-in-Chief of the journal. I fondly remember our first meeting in Nuremberg, during my academic stay at your university in 2016. Since then, I feel extremely fortunate to have known a fantastic person like you, even beyond our research collaborations. Further, I extend my gratitude to Manuel Hopp, who is the Assistant Editor of the journal and was also one of my partners during my stay in Nuremberg. Both of you have ensured the smooth transition of the journal’s editorship. In fact, all the contributions of the present issue have been processed under Dr. Ziegler’s editorship. This journal has experienced significant growth since its inception. During my doctoral thesis apprenticeship about underachievement in secondary education, High Ability Studies had a great impact on me. Through the journal, I discovered crucial contributions that shed light on the international community. In my opinion, the journal has achieved three important advances: (1) the establishment of a consistent and dynamic theoretical perspective regarding giftedness and talent; (2) an open perspective concerning high abilities in formal and informal contexts; and (3) the application of distinct methodologies in specific domains, such as STEM, sports, or arts. In conjunction, these achievements invest in the expected communion between theorists and practitioners. Given my experience as an educational counselor in both primary and secondary education, I think that we should continue to progress in this direction. Thus, empirical studies should be the basis to construct a more solid and dynamic theory. As a clear example of this goal, it is important to mention the journal’s latest issue on selfregulated learning (SRL) by gifted, talented, and high-achieving learners. I sincerely believe that these contributions will have a consistent impact on effective SRL systems in different contexts. HIGH ABILITY STUDIES 2020, VOL. 31, NO. 1, 1–3 https://doi.org/10.1080/13598139.2020.1783855