A new research team is now taking up the coordination and production of materials around the privatisation of education, human rights and other poignant issues relevant to teachers around the world.
As from October 1st, Dr Felisa Tibbits is taking up the role of Research Coordinator at Education International’s (EI) head office. She replaces Dr Guntars Catlaks who left prior to the last EI Congress in July to return to his native Latvia.
A native of the USA, Dr Tibbitts holds a PhD from Magdeburg University in Germany on Human Rights Education and graduated from Harvard Graduate School of Education in 1991 with a Masters’ Degree in Education. Dr Tibbitts holds many other academic distinctions and has spent a considerable part of her career to-date in promoting human rights. She was co-founder and co-chair of the Human Rights Educators Network in the USA.
Working with her on research for EI will be Nikola Wachter who replaces Mireille de Koning who has taken up a new position with the Open Society Foundations.
Ms Wachter joined EI shortly before Congress. She is a certified teacher and former union activist, and holds a second Master’s degree in Education and Globalisation. Her major research interests are related to the impact of neo-liberal reforms on the education sector and ways to counteract these developments.