Matthew Schuelka

Matthew Schuelka is a Lecturer and Research Fellow at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities' Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development. He holds a Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Administration (Comparative International Development Education) from the University of Minnesota, an M.A. in International Education Administration and Policy Analysis from Stanford University, an M.Ed. in Special Education from the University of Vermont, and a B.A. in Music Education and English Literature from the University of Minnesota. His research focuses on inclusive education, critical disability studies, education in South and Southeast Asia, and comparative and international education.

Dr. Schuelka has extensive global teaching experience in Bhutan, Malaysia, the UAE, and the UK, including roles at Stanford University, Royal Thimphu College, and the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus. He has led large-scale international research projects funded by the Toyota Foundation, EU, UKAid, and the British Academy. As a consultant, he has collaborated with UNICEF, UNESCO, and the World Bank. He founded Fora Education, a non-profit LLC focused on education research and consultancy.

His courses include OLPD 3381 (Developing Intercultural Competence), OLPD 5103 (Comparative Education), and OLPD 5061 (Ethnographic Research Methods). His publications span books like Global Directions in Inclusive Education (Routledge, 2021) and peer-reviewed articles addressing disability, inclusive policies, and cross-cultural educational systems. He emphasizes systemic analysis and equity in global educational frameworks.

Dr. Schuelka’s work bridges theory and practice, advocating for inclusive education through policy analysis, teacher training, and community engagement. His research often critiques global education metrics (e.g., PISA) and explores how cultural contexts shape disability identity and educational access.