DR LARAIB NIAZ

Dr Laraib Niaz is an Assistant Research Professor at the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Gonville & Caius College, and a researcher affiliated with both the REAL Centre (Research for Equitable Access and Learning) and the Cambridge Network for Disability and Education Research (CaNDER).

She holds a PhD in Education from University College London and an MSc in Development Management from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Her work sits at the intersection of education, inclusion, identity, policy, and international development, combining rigorous academic research with systems-level engagement across educational institutions, governments, and international organizations.

Her research focuses on inclusive education, disability, gender and religion, national identity construction, the formation of self and other, decolonising research practices, and education amidst conflict and crisis. Through her work, she examines how educational systems shape opportunity, belonging, social mobility, and access across diverse global contexts.

Dr Niaz has contributed to major international research and policy initiatives, including the Evaluation of the Girls' Education Challenge Fund II (Disability and Sustainability), TASO Evaluation Support for Disability-Focused Interventions, the What Works Hub for Global Education, DARE-RC Pakistan, and research examining the effects of attacks on education in Gaza and the West Bank. She has also served as an Inclusive Education Consultant with the World Bank and currently contributes as Gender and Social Inclusion Advisor to the What Works Hub for Global Education.

Alongside her research, Dr Niaz has extensive teaching, supervision, and academic advisory experience across internationally recognized institutions including the University of Cambridge, University College London, and the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). Her work reflects a sustained commitment to bridging research, policy, and practice within global education systems.

Her publications and research contributions span comparative and international education, educational equity, disability inclusion, religion and education, gender, identity formation, conflict, academic freedom, and educational policy. Her work has appeared in leading academic journals and major international academic publishers including Teacher Development, Routledge, Palgrave Macmillan, Bloomsbury, BRILL, and Education Sciences.

As Chair of Counselion's Global Advisory Board, Dr Niaz provides strategic oversight and research-driven insight across the firm's academic, institutional, and international engagements. Her expertise strengthens Counselion's work across education systems, policy environments, institutional development, and evidence-informed decision-making, helping ensure that the firm's advisory approach remains grounded in rigorous scholarship, global perspective, and long-term impact.