Stephen P. Heyneman received his PhD in Comparative Education from the University of Chicago in 1976. He served the World Bank for 22 years. Between 1976 and 1984 he helped research education quality and design policies to support educational effectiveness. Between 1984 and 1989 he was in charge of external training for senior officials in education policy. Between 1989 and 1998, he was responsible for education policy and lending strategy, first for the Middle East and North Africa and later for the 27 countries of Europe and Central Asia. In July, 2000 he was appointed professor of International Education Policy at Vanderbilt University. In 2015 he become Professor Emeritus. Current interests include the effect of education on social cohesion, education and religion, and the economic and social cost of education corruption. He serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Educational Development.