The UIS is the statistical office of UNESCO and the United Nations’ depository for global statistics in the fields of education, science and technology, culture and communication.

The Institute is an autonomous organization within UNESCO. This functional autonomy safeguards the Institute’s independence in developing and disseminating the accurate and policy-relevant data needed in today’s increasingly complex and changing social, political and economic environments.

The UIS has its own Governing Board that consists of 12 international experts, representing users and producers of statistics from different regions and international organizations.

The Board's primary tasks are to define UIS policy and broad functions, as well as to approve the yearly institutional programme and budget. The Board also monitors, evaluates and provides guidance on the Institute's operations.

UIS Governing Board members:

Members designated by UNESCO's Director-General:

  • Ms Alice ALBRIGHT (USA), Chief Executive Officer of the Global Partnership for Education (2017)
  • Ms Grace BEDIAKO (Ghana), Consultant, National Development Planning Commission of Ghana (2017)
  • Ms Sylvie MICHAUD, (Canada). Assistant Chief Statistician, Analytical Studies, Methodology and Statistical Infrastructure, Statistics Canada (2019)
  • Mr Lennart NORDSTRÖM, (Sweden), Deputy CEO, Optim8 Business Solutions AB (2019)
  • Ms Sylvia SCHMELKES (Mexico), President, National Institute for the Evaluation of Education (2017)
  • Mr Yang ZONGKAI, (China) President, Central China Normal University (2019)

Members elected by the UNESCO General Conference:

  • Mr Khalifa AL-BARWANI (Oman), Chief Executive Officer of the National Centre for Statistics and Information of Oman (2017)
  • Ms Olga KARMAZINA (Ukraine), Deputy Director of the Department for Services Statistics,  State Statistics Service of Ukraine (2019)
  • Mr Luis G. MADERA SUED (Dominican Republic), Manager of the Department of Economic Statistics, National Statistical Office (ONE) (2019)
  • Ms Anna N. MAJELANTLE (Botswana), Government Statistician of Botswana (2017)
  • *Mr Matthew SUDDERS (United Kingdom), Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of the U.K. to UNESCO (2017)

*Mr Matthew Sudders is the Chair of the Governing Board.

Former Chairs of the Governing Board:

  • Mr Lennart NORDSTRÖM (Sweden) 2014-2015
  • Ms Grace BEDIAKO (Ghana) 2012-2013
  • Mr Yvon FORTIN (Canada) 2008-2011
  • Ms Heli JESKANEN-SUNDSTRÖM (Finland) 2007
  • Mr Jean-Louis SARBIB (France) 2005-2006
  • Mr Jozef M. RITZEN (Netherlands) 2000-2004