Dr. Xiaoyan Liang is a Lead Education Specialist in the World Bank. She joined the World Bank formally as a Young Professional in 1998 after graduating from Harvard University with a Doctor of Education degree. Since then, she has led education research, policy dialogue, and managed the World Bank’s education programs in Africa, Latin America, and East Asia countries. Dr Liang has over two decades of experience in international education policy, program development and implementation, in areas including early childhood, teacher education, technical and vocational education and training and skills development, as well as education governance and financing.

Dr Liang is currently the World Bank’s Education Team Leader for Tanzania BOOST Primary Student Learning (BOOST), Education and Skills for Productive Jobs (ESPJ), and the East Africa Transformation and Regional Integration Program (EASTRIP) covering Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania. Further, she has been a focal person promoting the Africa China Education partnership. Dr. Liang is passionate about South-to-South partnership, regional integration, promoting Africa indigenous R&D and innovation to solve local problems, and sharing alternative education development models to bear on the international aid dialogue, education policy and program formation in the developing countries.