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:

  • Alice ALBRIGHT (USA), Chief Executive Officer of the Global Partnership for Education (2021)
  • Ms Carol NUGA DELIWE (South Africa), Chief Director, Strategic Planning, Research and Coordination of the National Department of Basic Education (2021)
  • Ms Annette SANTOS DEL REAL (Mexico), Director General of Centro de Estudios Educativos - CEE (2021)
  • *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)
  • Mr Yang ZONGKAI, (China) President, Xidian University (2019)

Members elected by the UNESCO General Conference:

  • Mr Sobeeh A. ALMUKHAIZIM (Kuwait), Director General, National Center for Education Development (NCED) (2021)
  • 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), Director of Statistical and Economic Analysis, Ministry of Industry and Commerce, and Technical Coordinator of the High-Level Inter-Institutional Commission for Sustainable Development (2019)
  • Mr Dankert VEDELER (Norway), Deputy Permanent Delegate of Norway to UNESCO (2021)

*Ms Sylvie MICHAUD is the Chair of the Governing Board.

Former Chairs of the Governing Board:

  • Mr Matthew SUDDERS (United Kingdom) 2016-2017
  • 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