Andrew Cunningham

Dr. Andrew (Andy) Cunningham is the Global Lead for Education at the Aga Khan Foundation, an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network, based at its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Andy co-leads AKF’s global education portfolio, working in partnership with governments, academia, philanthropy, school practitioners, civil society and the private sector to co-develop and scale innovations in education that strengthen the public provision of quality, lifelong learning across Africa, Asia and Europe. AKF works to transform education systems by increasing levels of educational access, quality, and equity through innovation and catalytic partnerships for scale. One example of AKF’s global education programmatic approach has been the launch of the Schools2030 programme across 10 countries in partnership with multiple philanthropic, government and multilateral partners to support educators to better assess, innovate and showcase what works to improve holistic learning for all by 2030 (more at www.schools2030.org).

Before joining AKF, Andy worked for UNICEF, the World Bank, World Learning, and the Education Above All Foundation, amongst others. In 2006, he co-founded the Women’s Institute for Secondary Education and Research in Muhuru Bay, Kenya as the first girls secondary boarding school in the region offering full-scholarships, serving as inaugural Executive Director during its first two years. WISER has emerged as one of Kenya’s top-performing girls’ secondary schools in the country, especially in STEM.