Dr. Maren Elfert came to pursue doctoral studies in EDST at UBC after having worked for more than a decade at the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning in Hamburg, Germany. Her research examines how international organizations contribute to the globalization of ideas, in particular educational ideas and discourses of human rights. Her SSHRC-funded dissertation on the emergence of the concept of education as a human right and its relation to lifelong learning in UNESCO provided connections regarding the relationships between education and human rights that have not been clarified to date. The merit of her research is reflected by her impressive record of academic publications, including a forthcoming book with a leading academic publisher.
Dr. Elfert has been among the advisers consulted for UNESCO’s new flagship report “Rethinking Education” and was invited to join panels with international scholars at several international conferences this year.