Dr Douglas Bourn is Director of Development Education Research Centre at the Institute of Education, University of London. The Centre was established in 2006 with funding from the Department for International Development (DFID) to act as the knowledge hub for learning about global and development issues within education. The Centre runs a Masters degree programme on development education, as well as engaging in a range of research projects for the UK government, NGOs and research and consultancy bodies, such as the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS).

Dr Bourn is editor of the International Journal of Development Education and Global Learning. He has had numerous articles published in academic journals on themes such as education for sustainable development, young people as global citizens, and theory and practice of development education. His most recent publication is Development Education: Debates and Dialogues, in 2008. In the same year he completed a major research study for LSIS on global skills and is now working on a follow up project on Globalisation in Further Education.

Prior to establishing the Research Centre, Dr Bourn was Director of the Development Education Association. He received a doctorate on Labour Party Ideas on Education.

Dr Douglas Bourn is participating in the Widening access to higher level skills session.