Education and Training for Rural Transformation

Wang Li is currently Professor and Deputy Director at UNESCO International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education (INRULED) in Beijing, China. Originally qualifying as an engineer in the area of water resources, then studied at United Nations University (UNU) in Geothermal Utilization, and then did his PhD in Comparative Study from Australia. He was employed by the Agricultural University of Hebei as a teaching assistant; then lecturer, Associate Professor and full Professor in 1995. In 1994 he was one of the persons responsible for setting up the UNESCO International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education (INRULED). In 1996, after consultation with UNESCO headquarters, he was appointed by the Chinese Government as Deputy Director of INRULED in charge of Research, Training, Information and Exchange programs. His areas of interest include Rural Education and Rural Development, Adult Education and Lifelong Learning, Water Resources, Rural and Town Planning and Geothermal Utilisation. He has also held the UNESCO Chair on Literacy and Adult Education and Training since 1995. He has contributed to more than 60 books and papers, undertaken about 50 international research projects and organised/participated in more than 100 international conferences, symposia, forums, and workshops. Wang Li has represented INRULED and Chinese Ministry of Commerce in projects in Cambodia and Pakistan and in many international conferences, forums and meetings.
Manzoor Ahmed is Professor Emeritus at BRAC University, Dhaka. He was the Founding Director of the Institute of Educational Development at BRAC University. He served for over two decades in different positions in UNICEF including those of Senior Education Advisor and Country Director in China, Ethiopia and Japan. He has been closely associated with the work of the UNESCO International Centre for Training and Research on Rural Education located in Beijing Normal University. He is the author of several books and has written extensively on education and development, educational planning, and non-formal education. Qutub Khan (30 June 1947-3 December 2017) started his career as an Associate Professor of Economics in Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, and Delhi University in 1967. After working for about 10 years, he joined UNESCO International Institute for Education Planning (UNESCO-IIEP) in 1979 as a Consultant. He worked at UNESCO headquarters and its regional and field offices and retired from UNESCO in 2009 as the Regional EFA and Literacy Coordinator for the Arab States. During his service with UNESCO, he participated in several international and national conferences, prepared policy documents and provided technical assistance to the Member States of UNESCO. Dr Khan used to live in New Delhi and was an advisor to INRULED before his untimely demise in 2017.


MENG Hongwei received his bachelor degree in 1968 from Beijing University, China, Master's degree in Education and Psychology in 1981 from Beijing Normal University and PhD in Educational Evaluation in1992 from the University of Hong Kong. From 1995 to 2000, he was the President-elect for Asia-Pacific Association of Educational Assessment; and from 2000 to 2003, he was a member of the Governing Board of UNESCO Institute of Statistics.

He has 32 years of professional experience as international and national consultant on education monitoring and evaluation projects in China, DPRK, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Namibia, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam for national governments and international agencies such as ADB, the European Commission, ILO, OECD, UNDP, UNESCO, UNICEF, World Bank, WFP and several international consultant firms such as the Cambridge Education. He was also acting as an advisor of UNESCO (INRULED).