MEET THE NEW DIRECTOR OF MICROSOFT EDUCATION UK BY JULIAN BLAKE DIRECTOR AND EDITOR
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One of the most respected figures on the UK edtech scene, Ian Fordham, the co-founder of the Education Foundation and chief executive of Edtech UK, is leaving the twin roles he helped create to join Microsoft UK as its new director of education.
Across five years, Fordham has helped put UK education technology on the global map. Julian Blake says Fordham’ s success has been built on his ability to convene educators, startups and government alike.
Fordham, an ex-teacher, set up the Education Foundation five years ago with Ty Goddard after the pair had worked together at the designfocused
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British Council for School Environments. They established the Education Foundation as a cross-party think tank dedicated to education reform, technology and innovation.
In 2015, Fordham took the helm at Edtech UK to help accelerate the UK’ s education technology sector and become a voice for edtech, in much the same way that Innovate Finance had done for UK fintech.
A convenor and an educator who can draw on the knowledge of tech innovators, Fordham has become a highly respected figure on the UK digital scene. He has helped to bring the word‘ edtech’ itself to a common centre ground for UK educators, policymakers and startups alike.
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Fordham joins Microsoft UK this month, taking responsibility for all of Microsoft’ s work in education in the UK, across schools, colleges, universities and other learning organisations.
Goddard, currently Edtech UK’ s chair, becomes chief executive of both the Education Foundation and Edtech UK. Fordham will keep a role with his former employer by sitting on Edtech UK’ s advisory group.
Over five years of work under the pair’ s joint leadership, the Education Foundation has built a reputation of its own as a convenor and thought leader – working with policymakers, education leaders and startup businesses.
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“Fordham has become a highly respected figure on the UK digital scene.” |
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