New leadership for INASP

INASP’s Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that Jon Harle, currently Director of Programmes, has been appointed as our new Executive Director. Jon succeeds John Young, who will step down at the end of December.

After five years as Executive Director, John has decided to step down at the end of December 2023. He has adeptly led INASP through a challenging funding environment, the major shocks of the pandemic, and the shift to become a largely virtual organisation. John is widely recognised for his expertise in impact evaluation, and in research to policy processes, and will continue to work with INASP as an Associate in these areas.

John says:

“I have admired and worked with INASP for nearly 20 years, first as a partner, then as a Trustee and for the last 5 years as Executive Director and have enjoyed every moment. I am looking forward to being able to focus on practical project work as an Associate”

Conscious of the need to continue INASP’s ambitious programme of work to support early career researchers globally, and to transform learning and employability for young people across Africa, INASP’s board of trustees decided to invite Jon Harle, Director of Programmes, to assume the position of Executive Director.

Chair of the Board, Louise Shaxson, says:

“It’s been such a pleasure to work with John over the past few years, first as a Board member and latterly as Chair.  He’s been a steady presence at INASP, leading the organisation through some challenging times with real wisdom and enthusiasm.  He leaves INASP in a very strong place from which to grow.  The whole Board is delighted that Jon Harle accepted our invitation to step up to the role of Executive Director.  We are impressed by his achievements as Director of Programmes and the depth of thinking he has brought to INASP’s work.  We are very much looking forward to working with him and to see INASP go from strength to strength.”

Jon Harle joined INASP in 2013 as Senior Programme Manager, and was promoted to Director of Programmes in 2018, leading INASP’s programme team, our relationships with partners and funders, and the conceptualisation and delivery of new programme work for the last six years.

Jon says:

“When I joined INASP in 2013, it was an organisation I’d long admired. I didn’t anticipate staying for 10 years, let alone that I’d become Executive Director. But there are few organisations that combine a feel for how to enable learning and support change with a deep understanding of what real partnership means, and it has kept me engaged and challenged every step of the way. I’m incredibly proud of our team – which now reaches from Dhaka and Kathmandu to Kampala and Lagos – and what we have achieved in recent years. I’m honoured to be invited to lead INASP into its next stage of evolution. I’m looking forward to working with the board, our staff, associates and partners to assist the next generation of researchers, academics, their universities, and young people across the world to generate the knowledge and ideas and to continue to build the research and higher education systems that we urgently need.”