Dr. Attaullah Wahidyar – Chairman
Dr. Wahidyar worked as Deputy Minister of Education of Afghanistan, leading education service delivery across the country. He has also served as senior advisor to the Minister of Education, Director General for General Education, Director of Communication, Senior Policy program advisor, and Chief of staff in Ministry of Education (MoE) of Afghanistan.
Dr. Wahidyar also served in World Bank Group, UNICEF, The Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA), and UNAMA, where he actively led educational and capacity-building programs. Among the highlights of his early career are his leadership of the SCA education program, his leadership of UN joint programs, and the establishment of the UNAMA training section.
Dr. Wahidyar has more than 19 years of experience in educational leadership, policy development, humanitarian aid, program management, and has lectured extensively on education, peace, and development around the world. He is a Harvard alumnus and is awarded with medals, certificates, and letters of appreciation on a national and global scale for his excellent performance and success in the education sector.
Dr. Wahidyar is currently pursuing his PhD in Education (Sydney University, Australia). He holds B.A.s in Education and Political Science, an M.A. in International Relations from the University of Peshawar, and a Medical Doctor degree from an Afghan university, in addition to several professional certificates from educational institutions around the world.
Professor Emeritus Anthony Welch – Member
Tony specialises in national and international policy and practice,principally in education, and cross-cultural analysis and research. He has extensive experience in many countries, including in the Asia Pacific, and has published widely, contributing numerous analyses of issues such as cross-cultural interactions; rural education, comparative research methods in education; and practical reform affecting multiculturalism, indigenous minorities, international students, higher education reforms, internationalisation of higher education in the Asia Pacific, and changes to the academic profession. After working as a school teacher in Australia and the UK, Tony completed both his M.A. and Ph. D. at the University of London. He has been Visiting Professor at universities and think tanks in the US, UK, France, Japan, China and Germany. His work has appeared in numerous languages, including German, Russian, French, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese and Korean. Extensive international contacts with organisations such as the OECD, UNDP, UNESCO, World Bank, ADB, CEDEFOP (Europe), BIBB (Germany), IREDU (France), the Fulbright Commission, and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (CFAT), has allowed Tony to contribute to major projects and reforms in various parts of the world. He has consulted to governments in Australia, Japan, Vietnam, Korea, Afghanistan, and Europe, to foundations in the USA, and to international agencies, principally in the area of higher education reform. Among other projects, Tony was part of an international team engaged on a major 14-nation study of the academic profession (published in 1996 as The Academic Profession. Portraits from Fourteen Countries). He was recently involved in a multinational study of Academic Salaries, and a major Higher Education project focused on Asia, for the ADB. Tony was a Scholar for 2007–8, in a year devoted to higher education research. He is on the Editorial Board of 10 international journals, and reviews for many more, as well as reviewing book manuscripts for several international publishers, and research proposals for several governments.
Recent work includes:
- Counting the Cost.Financing Higher Education for Inclusive Growth in Asia (ADB 2012)
- Higher Education in Southeast Asia. Blurring borders, Changing Balance (Routledge 2011)
- ASEAN Industries and the Challenge from China. (Palgrave Macmillan 2011)
Ingrid Knutson – Member
Ingrid Knutson worked for CIDA for 3 decades (1982-2009) in Russia on a bilateral programme, multilateral humanitarian aid and civil society funding. In Washington DC she represented Canada at the Organization of American states organization’s hemispheric security committee. Her last assigment was head of aid in Kabul (2008-2009). She also worked for the World Bank (evaluation training), UNDP ( ESCAP Bangkok and Vietnam), Red Cross ( Ethiopia) and World University Service of Canada (Sri Lanka). She retired from government in 2012 alongside her husband during his posting to Sri Lanka as Canadian High Commissioner. She and her husband own a small rural hotel in Spain, el diplomatico feo.
Anders Fänge – Member
Anders Fänge is an accomplished professional with extensive experience in international development, humanitarian affairs, and political engagement. His diverse background includes leadership roles in prominent organizations, focusing on social progress and conflict resolution across different regions.
Anders have B.A. in Journalism, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden, Studies in Sociology and Economic History, University of Umeå, Sweden and Ph.D. (hc) in Political Science, Umeå University, Sweden
His over four decades of experience include Member of the Parliamentarian Committee of Inquiry on Sweden’s Engagement in Afghanistan 2001-2021, All-Party, Sweden. Member of the Board of the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, Lecturer, Writer, Consultant, Advisor. His senior management roles includes Country Director, Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA), Afghanistan, Director of Field Operations, West Bank, United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA), Palestine Territory. Director Field Coordination Pillar One, United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA), Afghanistan. Programme Manager, the Somalia Rural Rehabilitation Programme, United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Somalia. Disaster Preparedness Delegate, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Central Asia. Resident Representative, Rädda Barnen (Swedish Save the Children), Ethiopia. Journalist and Various Consultancies in Sweden and other countries
Anders Fänge’s exceptional career in humanitarian work, combined with his academic achievements, underscores his commitment to driving positive change and development worldwide.