Asia Education Medal

The Asia Education Medal is one of the three World Education Medals founded by T4 Education and HP. It celebrates leaders from all parts of the continent who are working every day to give the next generation the opportunities they deserve through the best education possible.

Asia is a continent as diverse as it is large and its education landscape is no different. From some of the highest rates of learning poverty in the world to the highest-performing education systems in the world, Asia shows the tremendous challenges to be overcome, but is also a shining example of what can be achieved when we get it right.

The Asia Education Medal recognises those who are the change they want to see in the world so that others will be inspired to follow where they have led.

We are providing a platform for, and creating a network of, leaders who are committed to making a difference in Asia.

We’re celebrating leaders sparking change.

Medallist

Baela Jamil

CEO, Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi

2024 Asia Education Medal Finalists

Current Finalists for this year's Asia Education Medal.

Pakistan

Singapore

Philippines

Bangladesh

Malaysia

Singapore

Are you the next changemaker?

Learn more about our eligibility criteria and how to submit a nomination.

Vandana Goyal

Managing Trustee of Avanti Fellows, India

Vandana Goyal is currently the Managing Trustee of Avanti Fellows, an award-winning nonprofit based in India focused on putting low-income students on a path towards professional success through competitive test preparation and a focus on high quality STEM education in secondary government schools.

She was formerly CEO of The Akanksha Foundation. Under her leadership, Akanksha became one of the largest networks of public-private partnership schools in India, currently 21 schools serving over 9,300 students and 10,000 alumni. In 2012, Vandana was honored by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader.

Vandana serves on the Board of Directors of Avanti Fellows, Save the Children India and Kizazi (UK). She also serves on the advisory board of The Akanksha Foundation, The Education Alliance and the Investment Committee of the School Quality Excellence Program.

Vandana grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, where her parents emigrated from India in 1978. She moved to Mumbai in 2006, and currently lives there with her husband and two childreen, Siena and Samar.

Lin Kobayashi

Co-Founder and Chair of the Board, UWC ISAK Japan

UWC ISAK Japan, which she founded, is one of the newest additions to the United World College movement and is a residential high school that opened in Karuizawa, Japan, in 2014 with the aim of developing transformational leaders who are eager to work for positive change. UWC ISAK brings together students from over 80 countries around the world and provides scholarships to 70% of the student body.

Lin began her career at Morgan Stanley and holds an MA in International Education Policy Analysis from Stanford University and a BA in Development Economics from the University of Tokyo. Lin was a Greenberg World Fellow at Yale University, and serves on the boards of International House of Japan as well as UWC International.

She was named “Change-Maker of the Year 2013” by Nikkei Business, “Woman of the Year 2015” by Nikkei Woman, “Management Award of the Year 2016” by Zaikai, "Entrepreneur of The Year 2019 Japan” by Ernst & Young, and "Impact Award 2023" by Harvard Business School of Japan.

Sungsup Ra

Deputy Director General and Deputy Chief, Sectors Group at Asian Development Bank, Philippines

As DDG & DC, Sungsup Ra, leads ADB-wide knowledge-based innovation, collaboration, and sovereign operations across all sectors.

DDG Ra has over 35 years of professional experience including more than 22 years in ADB. Previously, he served as the Chief Sector Officer of the Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department and the Director of the South Asia Human and Social Development Division, concurrently holding the position of Education Sector Group Chair.

Before joining ADB, he gained valuable experience working with public and private entities, including Samsung and the Korean National Pension. He also taught at leading universities such as International Christian University, Korea University, and the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Sungsup Ra holds a Doctorate Degree in Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States.

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