Heidi Westerlund is Professor at the Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki, Finland, where she is responsible for the music education doctoral studies. Her research interests include music teacher education, higher music education, professionalism, collaborative learning, cultural diversity and democracy in music education. She has published nearly 200 articles and book chapters, the book Music Education, Ecopolitical Professionalism, and Public Pedagogy (2024, Springer) together with Margaret Barrett. She is the co-editor of Collaborative Learning in Higher Music Education (2013, Ashgate),  Music, Education, and Religion: Intersections and Entanglements (2019, Indiana University Press), Visions for Intercultural Music Teacher Education (2020, Springer), The Politics of Diversity in Music Education (2021, Springer), Expanding Professionalism in Music and Higher Music Education (2021, Routledge), Music Schools in Changing Societies: How Collaborative Professionalism Can Transform Music Education (2024, Routledge) and The Transformative Politics of Music Education (2025, Routledge). She is currently the lead-PI of Music Education, Professionalism, and Eco-Politics (EcoPolitics, 2021-25) and Transition pathways towards gender inclusion in the changing landscapes of Nepal (amplifyHer, 2023-2026) funded by the Research Council of Finland.