People

Academic staff

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Dr Gari Donn

Director International Education

Education, Community and Society (ECS)

Email: g.donn@ed.ac.uk

Tel: +44 (0)131 651 6310

Location:

St John's Land

Background

BSc (Hons) London University: Politics, Philosophy, Sociology
MSc Warwick University: Sociological Theory
PhD Strathclyde University: Nuclear Energy Policy Making
PGCE (Tertiary Education) Birmingham University

Having studied Sociology, Politics and Philosophy at London University, I undertook a one year PGCE qualification at Birmingham University for teaching in tertiary institutions. Thereafter I taught for two years in an FE college in Wolverhampton before returning to academic study, to read for an MSc in Sociological Theory at Warwick University. I then moved to Nottingham, where I taught Sociology of Education on the BEd degree and then to London where I lectured on Sociology and Politics. My PhD (Strathclyde University) emerged out of interests developed at this time: it focused upon the social and political context of rationales for Nuclear Energy Policy Making.

At Edinburgh University as Convenor of the MSc in Education, I have taught BSc (hons) and MSc programmes in the field of the Sociology of Education and International Education. In 2002-2005 I was seconded to the Higher Education desk of the Commonwealth Secretariat where I worked with Ministers of Education throughout the Commonwealth. On return to Edinburgh University and no longer Convenor, I continue to teach on the MSc and PhD programmes.

I have consultancies with a number Ministries, NGOs and individual clients, all in the field of international education.

I am active in the United Nations Association where, in Edinburgh, I am Convenor and represent Scotland on the UNA UK Board of Governors. I have been awarded Consular Status as Convenor of UNA Scotland. I am also on the UNESCO Scotland Committee and the Education Sub-Committee.

Principal interests

Education policy making processes in an international context
Education in difficulty circumstances and in post-conflict reconstruction
Higher Education institutional development and curriculum reform
Higher Education in the Gulf Arab States
Education in Sub-Saharan Africa

I am happy to supervise research under the headings above. I currently supervise doctoral students in the following areas:

Education Policy in Pakistan
PEPFAR and Policy Borrowing for HIV/AIDS in Uganda
Teacher Training and Education Policy in Zambia
INGOs, NGOs and Education in Zambia
Language and Curriculum Development in Namibia
Concept of Tolerance in Islamic Curriculum in Oman
Education in Post Conflict in Rwanda
Mission Education in Nigeria and its impact on current education policies
English Language Curriculum in Chinese Primary Schools
Gender Mainstreaming: South Africa as a policy entrepreneur
Early Childhood Education in Uganda
Early Childhood Education in Nigeria

Research supervision

Projects supervised by Dr Gari Donn

Current and recent research

I am currently involved in the following academic research:

Higher Education in the Gulf: Policy Borrowing and Institutional Development
International Education Policy: International Targets and Goals and National Policy Space
Career Guidance as a key to knowledge-based societies

Publications

Publications list for Dr Gari Donn

This article was published on May 6, 2013