CIES Announces the Establishment of the Dr. Haiyan Hua Memorial Award
The Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) is pleased to announce the establishment of the Dr. Haiyan Hua Memorial Award, made possible through a generous gift from former CEO Joel Lamstein on behalf of World Education, a JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. initiative in Boston. This permanent endowment honors Dr. Hua’s significant contributions to comparative and international education and his lifelong commitment to strengthening education systems through research, evidence, collaboration, and capacity building.
Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Hua made important contributions to education policy research, monitoring and evaluation, and international development. He served as a lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and as Vice President at World Education, where he worked to advance educational opportunities and strengthen education systems globally. For over more than two decades, he collaborated with ministries of education, governments, and international organizations across Africa, Asia, Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, and the Middle East, supporting initiatives focused on education policy, planning, evaluation, data systems, and institutional strengthening.
Dr. Hua’s work demonstrated a deep commitment to using research and evidence to inform educational decision-making. His contributions included supporting the development of education monitoring and evaluation systems, strengthening education management information systems, examining factors affecting student learning and participation, and leading research initiatives focused on education quality, girls’ and women’s education, and basic education policy. Through these efforts, he helped strengthen the capacity of education leaders and institutions to collect, interpret, and use data to address educational challenges.
In addition to his professional contributions, Dr. Hua was a dedicated educator and mentor. Through his teaching at Harvard and internationally, he supported generations of students, researchers, and practitioners working in comparative and international education. His generosity, mentorship, and commitment to supporting others left a lasting impact on colleagues and the broader global education community.
The Dr. Haiyan Hua Memorial Award will support researchers’ participation in the CIES Annual Conference through a travel bursary. Preference will be given to researchers who originate from and are currently based in low- and middle-income countries, particularly those whose work focuses on education monitoring and evaluation and/or basic education policy research. By helping address financial barriers associated with conference participation, including travel, accommodation, registration, and related expenses, the award will create greater opportunities for scholars to share their research and participate in the CIES community.
Supporting meaningful participation from scholars around the world reflects CIES’s commitment to fostering an inclusive, collaborative, and globally representative community. Researchers working in diverse educational contexts contribute essential knowledge that strengthens comparative and international education, yet financial and logistical barriers can limit opportunities for scholarly exchange. Through this award, CIES seeks to expand access to the Annual Conference and support broader participation in the field.
The award also recognizes the continued importance of education monitoring, evaluation, and policy research in addressing complex educational challenges. Rigorous research and reliable evidence remain essential for understanding education systems, informing policy development, and supporting improvements in learning opportunities worldwide. By investing in scholars working in these areas, the Dr. Haiyan Hua Memorial Award carries forward Dr. Hua’s commitment to connecting research, policy, and practice.
CIES is deeply grateful to Joel Lamstein and Dr. Hua’s family for honoring his legacy through this endowment and for their commitment to supporting future generations of scholars. CIES also extends its appreciation to Adam Turney and colleagues at JSI/World Education for their partnership in establishing this award. Through these collective efforts, the Society is proud to celebrate Dr. Hua’s enduring contributions and support the continued advancement of comparative and international education.
Read more about the award application process.