Students From 32 Countries Begin New Master’s Pathway

The moment Imaad Isaacs saw the description for the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s new online international education and policy pathway, he paused, mid-scroll.

“It was as though someone had written down the intersection of all my passions: policy, access, digital learning, and international collaboration,” he says. “Within minutes, I knew I had to apply.”

He did, and now he’s one of 77 students in the inaugural cohort of the International Education and Policy Management (IEPM) Pathway. The two-year master’s degree, which students complete part-time online through a combination of asynchronous and synchronous classes and independent assignments, falls under the Online Master’s in Education Leadership (OEL) Program. OEL launched in 2021 with two U.S.-focused pathways: one on preK–12, another on higher education. This new third pathway focuses on challenges and issues related to education around the world.

“We are thrilled to welcome an extraordinary cohort of leaders from 32 countries to our new [pathway of the] online master’s program in International Education Policy and Management,” says Professor Fernando Reimers, IEPM’s co-director. “The strength and diversity of our applicant pool — ranging from highly accomplished senior professionals in government, higher education, and the private sector, to rising leaders in international schools and educational technology — reflect the urgency and global relevance of our mission.” 

The average work experience for admitted students was 15.5 years, the highest of all programs at the Ed School. Lecturer Robert Jenkins, co-director of the pathway, says he’s excited to see how the breadth and depth will shape this new “learning community.” The students, he says, “are joining us as accomplished professionals whose extensive experience and insight will enable us to collectively explore new ideas, challenge assumptions, review key challenges and achievements, and explore evidence from diverse contexts in global and international education.”

By bringing together students from every corner of the world — 54% are international, from 32 countries and five continents — Reimers says “we are not only providing access to a world-class Harvard education, but also creating a vibrant community where professionals learn as much from each other as from faculty. In tackling global education’s most pressing challenges, these students will shape the future as equal partners and co-architects of a more interconnected and just world.”

For Isaacs, founder of Futures Academy, South Africa’s longest-running online high school, being part of a diverse international pool of educators is important.

“What excites me most is the opportunity to learn with and from a truly global community of educationists who are grappling with similar challenges across very different contexts,” he says. “As someone working in digital and distance learning in South Africa, a field still largely underdeveloped and unregulated, I’m eager to explore how policy and innovation can intersect to create more equitable systems. IEPM offers both the intellectual rigor and collaborative spirit I’ve been searching for.”

Chartise Clark says the pathway will help bridge her current work running an executive search firm she founded that places senior leaders, including those in education, at mission-driven organizations, with her long-term vision for leadership. 

“The pathway’s emphasis on comparative policy, program design, and evidence-based decision-making felt like a perfect fit for someone committed to equity, access, and systems-level change,” she says. “I’ve built my career connecting exceptional leaders with organizations in need. From Chicago to Cape Town, I’ve seen how education shapes who gets to lead and who gets left behind. Joining IEPM means joining a cohort of changemakers committed to ensuring that story ends differently worldwide.”

Marcus Chua Hon Wei says the structure of the online pathway is perfect for students who want or need to continue working while studying. Chua Hon Wei is the residential student life manager at the National University of Singapore.

“It’s the chance to learn alongside a richly diverse cohort, each bringing deep domain expertise, and to absorb those perspectives,” he says, but “even more exciting is the ability to apply what I learn in the classroom to my professional work almost immediately, as well as to bring cases to study, since this is a part-time program and most of us remain active in our respective fields.”

Both Isaacs and Clark see the online aspect of the program as a bonus. As the founder of an online school, and someone who has designed and participated in virtual learning experiences, Isaacs says, “I’m especially excited to be on the student side again.” Clark has also taken online classes and says, “I’ve found that a thoughtfully designed online environment can make dialogue even richer by bringing together perspectives from multiple geographies and contexts.

Fatemeh Zahra Ahmadi, currently a faculty member and curriculum specialist with Iran's Organization for Educational Research under the Ministry of Education, is also an online advocate for learning — and connecting.

“My most profound educational experience began virtually and changed my professional trajectory, and it’s a testament to the power of online connection,” she says, referring to a global online competition she won that was hosted by the nonprofit Ashoka and the Maternal Health Task Force at Harvard’s Chan School of Public Health. The competition led to field work in Uganda, where she was mentored by an expert in dialogue education. Their entirely virtual relationship, “proved transformational,” she says. “The lessons I learned online were immediately applicable in Ugandan and Iranian communities, creating a powerful feedback loop between theory and practice.”

As the new IEPM pathway kicks off this month, Jenkins says what he sees is opportunity — and a common goal for faculty and students and eventually graduates.

“Leveraging this amazing capacity, we will have the opportunity to develop practical and implementable solutions to accelerate progress and facilitate the much-needed transformation in this key sector,” he says. “Perhaps our greatest asset is our shared commitment to making a positive difference in the world. Together I am sure we can work to create lasting, meaningful change.”