Matthew A.M. Thomas

Dr. Matthew A.M. Thomas is a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in International and Comparative Education and Head of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Glasgow's School of Education. His career spans over 20 years across Australia, Indonesia, Mali, Nigeria, Tanzania, the USA, the UK, and Zambia, focusing on education policy, pedagogical practices, and teacher education. He holds a PhD in Comparative and International Development Education from the University of Minnesota, an MA in International Educational Development from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a BS in Music Education with Honors from Messiah College.

• Current Roles: Head of Department (Educational Leadership and Policy), Senior Lecturer, and GLACIER network convenor.
• Past Roles: Associate Professor at the University of Sydney, Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

His research employs qualitative methods to explore how global and local conditions shape education systems. Key areas include comparative pedagogy, Teach For All's global impact, and policy-practice intersections. He co-edited Examining Teach For All (2021) and is lead editor of the forthcoming Bloomsbury Handbook of Method in Comparative and International Education (2025).

Recent articles focus on methodological innovations in comparative education, Bourdieusian analyses of teacher attrition, and pedagogical reforms in low-income countries. His work has been published in journals like Compare, Teaching and Teacher Education, and Discourse: Studies in Cultural Politics of Education.

Recipient of multiple awards including the 2019 Supervisor of the Year Award (Sydney University) and Teaching Excellence Awards. Supervised 4 completed PhDs and numerous master’s/undergraduate students. Active in grants, including leading a £117k Aga Khan Foundation project on teacher agency in Tanzania and co-investigating a £518k NSW Department of Education project.

Teaching contributions span international education policy, global citizenship, and education equity. Editorial roles include British Journal of Sociology of Education and Curriculum Journal. Known for innovative pedagogical approaches and international collaborations.