Fernando M. Reimers (he/him)
HGSE Ford Foundation Professor of the Practice of International Education
What brought you to the field of education?
I have always seen education as a way to empower individuals to shape their own lives and contribute meaningfully to their
communities. In high school, I was deeply influenced by two books by Luis Alberto Machado—one about how opportunity fosters talent, and another on the responsibility of democratic governments to cultivate that talent. This led me to pursue psychology and teaching, and later a career in educational policy and international development. I joined the faculty at the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 1998, after completing my master’s and doctoral work here between 1983 and 1988.
Why are you passionate about the field of international education?
I believe that improving education is a truly global effort, and one most effectively advanced through international collaboration.
Innovation is happening around the world, especially in countries of the Global South, where education is a central priority. By learning from these innovations, we can support systemic transformation and create meaningful change together.
What are you most excited for with regard to this new program?
Historically, access to a Harvard education required the ability to relocate and study full-time in Cambridge. Today, technological advances allow us to offer a world-class education to professionals globally, who can balance study with work and family obligations. I’m excited to build a diverse, global learning community of education leaders whose professional experiences will deeply enrich our discussions.
What are some classes you look forward to teaching in the new OEL pathway, and why?
I look forward to teaching my courses on Education Policy Analysis and on Educational Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship. In the first, students will investigate education challenges using systematic approaches and comparative insights. In the second, they will design innovative solutions to real-world problems and build frameworks for organizations that can implement them; both are hands-on, project-based experiences.
What is your favorite thing about the international HGSE community?
HGSE attracts extraordinary students from all over the world—individuals who have already made meaningful contributions
before arriving here. I find great joy working with them, and even more in staying connected after they graduate. Watching their
careers unfold is deeply rewarding and continuously informs and improves my own teaching.
What is your favorite thing about working at HGSE?
What I value most is our unwavering mission to “Learn to Change the World.” HGSE is a place deeply committed to impact—through teaching, research, and engagement with the field. I feel privileged to work in a community where these three dimensions inform and strengthen each other.
Who is an educator that inspires you?
My students inspire me constantly, and I’ve had the privilege of writing about and with many of them. Eleonora Villegas-Reimers, my wife and a professor at Boston University, has also been a lifelong source of inspiration since we met at HGSE. My colleagues on the faculty at HGSE are a continuous source of inspiration. I also draw inspiration from historical educators like Johan Pestalozzi, Maria Montessori, John Dewey, Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, Kurt Hahn, Rudolf Steiner and Jerome Bruner; builders of global education such as Jaime Torres Bodet, Clarence Beeby, and René Maheu; and pioneers of the field like Isaac Kandel, Torsten Husén and Neville Postlewaite.
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