Protocol for an international e-Delphi study to develop an updated consensus-based European competence framework for inclusive education professionals

Inclusive education remains a key European policy and research priority, yet competence frameworks guiding professional learning may require updating. The Profile of Inclusive Teachers (2012) and its extension, the Profile for Inclusive Teacher Professional Learning (2022), established core values and competences underpinning inclusive practice across Europe. However, major societal, technological, and policy developments, such as the systemic broadening of inclusion, the integration of digitalisation and artificial intelligence, and the rising importance of wellbeing necessitate an updated and comprehensive competence framework. This study outlines the protocol for an international e-Delphi process designed to develop an updated, consensus-based European competence framework for inclusive education professionals by 2026, with attention to policy relevance and applicability across primary, secondary, and higher education. An international electronic Delphi (e-Delphi) study will be conducted to achieve expert consensus on the competences required for inclusive education professionals. A purposive sample of at least 25 experts, spanning researchers, policymakers, teacher educators, and practitioners from across Europe and beyond Europe, will be recruited to ensure both depth of expertise and breadth across educational levels. The study will follow the CREDES guidelines for Delphi research. Up to three iterative survey rounds will be administered via Qualtrics. In Round 1, experts will propose competence areas and assess the continued relevance of existing profile components; Round 2 will involve prioritisation and rating on a 9-point Likert scale; Round 3 will re-rate selected unresolved or revised items based on anonymised feedback to inform final consensus decisions. Consensus inclusion will require a median ≥ 7, interquartile range ≤ 2 and at least 70% of valid ratings in the 7–9 range, with valid ratings from at least 70% of the original Round 1 panel, rounded upward. Kendall's W will describe within-round concordance among experts. Quantitative results will be complemented by inductive content analysis of open-ended responses. This protocol paper does not report empirical findings. The anticipated outcome is an expert-informed, consensus-based framework encompassing existing competences and any refinements or additional domains identified through the Delphi process, particularly in relation to systemic inclusion, higher education, digitalisation and AI, and wellbeing. Adequately rated items meeting neither inclusion nor final-exclusion criteria will be reported as areas of emerging or contested expertise, contributing to future research directions. This e-Delphi study aims to develop an updated, consensus-based European competence framework for inclusive education professionals that addresses contemporary challenges and priorities in inclusive education. The resulting framework could inform professional learning, teacher education, and institutional capacity-building across Europe.