James Stanfield

Together with Professor James Tooley, James helped to set up the EG West Centre in 2002 which is dedicated to generating knowledge and understanding about how markets and self organising systems work in education and which institutions and regulatory frameworks best allow education to flourish. Together with assisting Professor Tooley in his research around the world, James’s PhD research focused on the growth of private schools for the poor in Kenya and how this development relates to the United Nations concept of the right to education. James has recently played a leading role in setting up SOLE Central and is now working with Professor Sugata Mitra, helping to develop SOLES, the School in the Cloud web platform and the concept of education as a spontaneous order. He also teaches on the MA International Development and Education and is currently developing new online and technology related modules. James is also the International strand leader on the new BA (Hons) Education.

Research interests include self organising systems and emergent behaviour in education, education as a spontaneous order, entrepreneurship, the profit motive and inclusive business models in education, next generation assessments and qualifications, educational freedom and the right of parents to choose and the role of technology in all of the above.