Thomas Alexander (2012)

Tom Alexander, formerly Director for Education, Employment, Labour, and Social Affairs at the OECD and a senior research fellow of the Department since his retirement in 2000, died on Sunday 22nd January at the age of 71.

He was due to speak to our students on 14 February, as he had done in every previous year since his association with us, devoting much time and energy to keeping them informed about the OECD and its work, preparing them for seminars in Paris, and supporting their projects. He was the founder of PISA, and had an enormous impact on the development of large-scale international surveys of pupil attainment. He was a good friend of the Department and we shall miss him greatly.
Professor David Phillips