Pasi Sahlberg, professor of educational leadership
Pasi Sahlberg is Finnish educator, teacher, and author. He has worked as a schoolteacher, teacher-educator, academic, and policymaker in Finland, and he has advised schools and education system leaders around the world. He served as a senior education specialist at the World Bank in Washington, DC, lead education specialist at the European Training Foundation in Torino, Italy, director general at the Finland’s Ministry of Education and Culture (CIMO), and visiting professor at Harvard University. He is a recipient of several awards for his lifelong service in education, including the 2012 Education Award in Finland, the 2014 Robert Owen Award in Scotland, the 2016 Lego Prize in Denmark, the 2017 Rockefeller Foundation's Bellagio Resident Fellowship in Italy, the 2021 Dr Paul Brock Memorial Medal in Australia, and the 2025 Global Educator Award in Malaysia. His book “Finnish Lessons: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in Finland” won the 2013 Grawemeyer Award in the United States for an idea that has potential to change the world. His most recent books include "Let the Children Play: How more play will save our schools and help children thrive" (2019, with William Doyle), "Finnish Lessons 3.0: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in Finland” (2021), and "In Teachers We Trust: The Finnish way to world-class schools" (2021, with Tim Walker). He is currently Professor in Educational Leadership at the University of Melbourne, Australia. Pasi lives in Melbourne with his wife and two sons.
