Tejendra Pherali

Tejendra Pherali is a Professor of Education, Conflict and Peace at University College London's Institute of Education (IOE - Education, Practice & Society). As Co-Research Director of Education Research in Conflict and Protracted Crisis (ERICC) and former Chair of the British Association for International and Comparative Education (BAICE), he bridges academic leadership with practical peacebuilding initiatives. His establishment of the open-access journal Education and Conflict Review underscores his commitment to translating research into policy.

• Academic Affiliations: UCL IOE, Academy of Social Sciences Fellow, Higher Education Academy Fellow
• Research Leadership: ERICC program, BAICE chairmanship, Compare Journal editorial board

Pherali's research integrates education policy, political sociology, and peacebuilding in conflict zones. His work spans Myanmar, South Sudan, Nepal, and Syria, analyzing how educational systems both suffer from and contribute to conflict dynamics. Recent publications focus on teacher professional development during displacement, curriculum reform in divided societies, and the paradox of education as both victim and perpetrator in conflict settings.

He advocates for teacher-centered peacebuilding, emphasizing their often-neglected role in crisis contexts. His Laboratories of Learning framework highlights grassroots educational initiatives in Colombia, Nepal, and Turkey that challenge dominant epistemic traditions. Current empirical work in Myanmar and Syria examines systemic educational fragmentation and pathways for integrating marginalized communities through locally-driven pedagogies.

Key scientific recognitions include:

• Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (FAcSS)
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
• Editorial leadership in Education and Conflict Review

His educational background spans four countries with a PhD from Liverpool John Moores University (2012), MEd from University of Sydney (2005), and MA in Sociology from Tribhuvan University, Nepal (2002). The MA Education and International Development: Conflict, Emergencies and Peace program he developed at UCL exemplifies his integrated approach to education policy and practice in unstable environments.