Dr. Mel Ainscow

Biography

Mel Ainscow is an internationally recognized authority on the promotion of inclusion and equity in education. He has served as a head teacher, local education authority adviser, and lecturer at the University of Cambridge. His work focuses on ways to make schools effective for children and young people, with a distinctive emphasis on conducting research in schools and education systems to promote improvements. A long-term consultant for UNESCO, Mel is currently engaged in promoting equity and inclusion globally. He has also consulted for an initiative organized by the Organization of American States, supporting national developments in nine Latin American countries. Mel led the Greater Manchester Challenge, a three-year project involving a partnership between the national government, ten local authorities, and 1,150 schools, backed by a governmental investment of £50 million. Furthermore, he has spearheaded the Schools Challenge Cymru, the Welsh Government’s flagship programme aimed at accelerating the rate of improvement in the country’s schools, focusing particularly on progress for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. In addition to his role at Glasgow, Mel is an Emeritus Professor of Education at the University of Manchester, an Adjunct Professor at the Queensland University of Technology, and an Honorary Professor of Practice at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. He has published extensively in both practitioner and international research journals, with his recent book titled 'Struggles for Equity in Education: Selected Works of Mel Ainscow' included in the Routledge World Library of Educationalists series. Mel was appointed CBE in the Queen's 2012 New Year Honours list for his services to education.

Research Interests