Mel Ainscow

Mel Ainscow is Emeritus Professor of Education and co-director of the Centre for Equity in Education. He is also Adjunct Professor at Queensland University of Technology. Between 2007 and 2011 he was the Government’s Chief Adviser for the Greater Manchester Challenge, a 50 million pound initiative to improve educational outcomes for all young people in the region. Previously a head teacher, local education authority inspector and lecturer at the University of Cambridge, Mel’s work attempts to explore connections between inclusion, teacher development and school improvement. A particular feature of this research involves the development and use of participatory methods of inquiry that set out to make a direct impact on thinking and practice in systems, schools and classrooms. Mel was director of a UNESCO Teacher Education project on inclusive education which involved research and development in over 80 countries, and has been a consultant to UNESCO, UNICEF and Save the Children. In the 2012 New Year honours list he was awarded a CBE for services to education. He is a Fellow of the RSA. In 2013 he was appointed specialist adviser to the House of Commons Education Committee.