BERA is delighted to announce that Professor Mel Ainscow has been selected as the winner of the 2025 Equality in Education Award, in recognition of his exceptional and sustained contribution to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion in education.

Emeritus Professor of Education at the University of Manchester, and Professor in Education at the University of Glasgow, Professor Ainscow has spent decades leading practical, research-informed change across local, national, and international contexts. His work reframes inclusion as a systemic responsibility—focused on removing barriers to learning for all students, not just specific groups.

He has led major initiatives such as the Greater Manchester Challenge and Schools Challenge Cymru, which significantly improved outcomes for disadvantaged learners by fostering collaboration and building self-improving school systems. Internationally, he has worked with UNESCO and the Organization of American States to advance inclusive education globally.

Professor Ainscow’s deeply collaborative, practice-based approach has transformed thinking and practice around educational inequality, making him a truly deserving recipient of this year’s award.

He will be formally presented with the award at the BERA Annual General Meeting on 25 November 2025