Harry A. Patrinos, an internationally recognized expert in K-12 education policy, has been named as the next head of the Department of Education Reform and 21st Century Endowed Chair in Education Policy.

"Harry is one of the top scholars of education reform in the world, having produced seminal studies of school finance, results-based accountability, educational leadership, teacher quality reforms and school choice," said Patrick Wolf, Distinguished Professor and 21st Century Endowed Chair in School Choice, who has been serving as interim head of the department. "His rich experience as an organizational and project leader will be a tremendous benefit to the amazing faculty, staff and doctoral students in our program."

Patrinos looks forward to officially joining the department in the College of Education and Health Professions on Aug. 12. "I am eager to learn from the team and understand how our research, teaching and outreach can empower the students of Arkansas to achieve their full potential," he said.

Patrinos has three decades of leadership experience across various fields, including management, international organizations, research, economic analysis and government. He comes to the U of A following a successful career at the World Bank, where he currently serves as a senior adviser for education.

"Dr. Patrinos is an internationally recognized expert in K-12 education policy who has led the development and implementation of education reforms in multiple countries," said Dean Kate Mamiseishvili. "With his many high-impact scholarly and policy contributions and more than 30 years of leadership experience, he is uniquely suited to successfully lead the department and contribute to the advancement of education in Arkansas and beyond. I am excited to welcome Dr. Patrinos to our college and look forward to working closely with him to advance the department's founding goals."

At various times throughout his career, Patrinos managed teams of professionals involved in implementing education policy in countries worldwide and provided strategic vision and direction to governments and policymakers. He has led global education policy development in the diverse contexts of Europe, Central and East Asia, the Pacific Islands, the Middle East, Africa and North and South America.

Patrinos' research record encompasses over 220 scholarly publications, including 85 journal articles, 74 working papers, 56 books and book chapters and three edited special issues. His research has been cited 22,625 times, including 8,634 in the last five years, making him the seventh most cited scholar across all fields at the U of A.

In addition to various managerial roles at the World Bank, he's the associate editor of the journal Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training and a member of many international education policy boards. He's also a fellow at the Institute of Labor Economics and the Global Labor Organization.

Patrinos' academic training focused on economics, development and the role of education. He studied economics at the University of Ottawa and, after receiving a master's from Carleton University, moved to England to obtain a Ph.D. from the University of Sussex. His dissertation was on education, earnings and inequality.

"The role of education as a force for equity and development has been a recurring theme in my research ever since," he said, adding, "Over the past 30 years, I've tackled education challenges across various contexts — from low-income to high-income countries. Through these experiences, I've realized that innovation, research, reform and evaluation are essential for developing and sustaining a successful education system. While reform is crucial, it's just the starting point. Effective implementation and rigorous evaluation are equally important, embracing trial and error along the way."

On a personal note, Patrinos is an avid hockey fan and enjoys playing the sport in his spare time. His wife Suzanne Roddis, also an expert on education, will join him in Northwest Arkansas. Her recent work includes co-authoring a landscape paper on innovative financing for digital learning, a review of private K-12 provision in developing countries and a literature review of blended finance in the private education sector.

Their son, Antony, will remain in Maryland. He recently graduated from Wesleyan University with a degree in economics and works at the National Institutes of Health. He is a competitive runner.

After Patrinos arrives at the U of A, Wolf will transition from his interim department head position back to his role as a faculty member, returning to full-time research and teaching.

"I want to express my sincere gratitude for Dr. Patrick Wolf's dedicated service to our college and his strong leadership during this critical time for the department," Mamiseishvili said. "I have benefited tremendously from his wisdom and counsel during my first couple of years as the dean and will always be grateful for his support and partnership."

About the Department of Education Reform: The mission of the Department of Education Reform is to advance education and economic development in Arkansas and nationwide by focusing on the improvement of K-12 schools. The Department of Education Reform is committed to producing and disseminating high-quality research that will inform policymakers, scholars, parents, teachers, administrators, and the general public about policies and practices that could improve the performance of schools in Arkansas and nationwide.