Shailen Popat

Shailen Popat is an Assistant Professor (Education) in Public Policy and Management at the University of Birmingham's School of Government, Department of Public Administration and Policy. He serves as Director of the MSc in Public Management at the Institute of Local Government (INLOGOV) and is concurrently a Senior Hulme Scholar at Brasenose College, University of Oxford, where he is pursuing a DPhil in Education.

His research explores policy dynamics and educational methodologies, with key interests including:

• Policy lifecycle (creation, interpretation, enactment)
• Historical and ideological policy analysis
• Assessment effectiveness
• Qualitative research methods (interviews, focus groups, literature reviews)

His publications focus on educational leadership, equity in education systems, and international assessment frameworks, demonstrating consistent emphasis on practical policy applications and educator engagement.

Notable recognitions include:

• Winner of University of Birmingham's 2022 Teacher of the Year (HEFi Awards)
• Finalist for 24 Housing Awards 2018 (Care Provider of the Year)
• Finalist for Northamptonshire Education Awards 2015
• Finalist for Pride of Northamptonshire Awards 2015

Prior to academia, he founded a non-profit delivering non-formal education and worked extensively with local authority school support services.