OISE’s Karen Mundy appointed to Global Partnership for Education in Washington
July 3, 2014

By OISE Staff

OISE’s Karen Mundy, associate dean of Research, International and Innovation and a professor in the Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education has been appointed Chief Technical Officer at the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) in Washington, DC.   

In her new post, Karen will play an instrumental role in the development of GPE’s 2016-2020 strategy and addressing current major challenges in education such as expanding access and equity to education, learning outcomes and evidence-based decision-making. She will also be the main driver of GPE’s innovation agenda in terms of improved ways to finance, manage, and deliver education to the children who are hardest to reach.

“I am delighted that Karen Mundy has accepted to play such a key leadership role for GPE,” said Alice Albright, Chief Executive Officer of the Global Partnership for Education. “I am impressed by the depth and breadth of her experience and expertise in the sector and her ambition for real progress on global education’s major challenges. With Karen on board, GPE will be well positioned to face the education challenges for the post-2015 development agenda,” added Albright.

“The GPE is uniquely positioned to play a catalytic role in expanding access to the very best learning opportunities for all children, by supporting smarter national policies and more coordinated and research-based action from the global community,” said Karen. “As CTO, I look forward to fostering the creativity and collaboration that are needed if we want to improve education for children in some of the world's most difficult circumstances. It’s a remarkable honor. I can't wait to roll up my sleeves and get to work”, she added.

OISE Dean Julia O'Sullivan announced the news to the University of Toronto community and said: "This is a wonderful tribute to and opportunity for Karen.  She has done an outstanding job as Associate Dean and will do OISE and the University of Toronto proud at the GPE."

Karen Mundy began her professional career as a teacher in rural Zimbabwe, and became an assistant professor, international and comparative education at Stanford University prior to joining OISE. Her published research has focused on the global politics of “education for all” programs and policies; educational policy and reform in Sub-Saharan Africa; and the role of civil society organizations in educational change. She has published four books and more than 50 articles and book chapters, including most recently an edited volume entitled “Public Private Partnerships in Education: New Actors and Modes of Governance in a Globalizing World.” Karen was also the founder and past Co-Chair of the Canadian Global Campaign for Education, an organization that brought together NGOs, teachers’ unions, and university partners committed to advancing education for all. She is currently the President of the Comparative and International Education Society and held a Canada Research Chair from 2002-2013.

Committed to playing an active role in policy dialogue about education and international development, Karen has authored and contributed to policy papers and evaluation reports for many of the international organizations and development partners who belong to the Global Partnership including, among others, the World Bank, USAID, the Hewlett Foundation, the Open Society Foundation, the International Development Research Centre, CIDA (now DFATD), UK DFID and UNICEF. She also served as the acting chair of the GPE independent evaluation committee in 2013.   She holds a Master’s in Adult Education and a Doctorate in Sociology of Education. Her appointment will be effective October 1, 2014.

The Global Partnership for Education is made up of nearly 60 developing country governments, as well as donor governments, civil society/non-governmental organizations, teacher organizations, international organizations, and the private sector and foundations, whose joint mission it is to galvanize and coordinate a global effort to provide a good quality education to children, prioritizing the poorest and most vulnerable. The Global Partnership for Education has allocated US$3.9 billion over the past decade to support education reforms in developing countries.

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