It is also interesting to know which universities and in which specialties the people leading the education system received higher education. The academic background of education ministers in different countries of the world differs from each other.
Some ministers have studied pedagogical specialties, while others have specialized in different fields such as law, public administration, economics, history, medicine, and engineering.
AzEdu.az has investigated which universities the current education ministers of various countries around the world have graduated from.
Azerbaijan's Minister of Science and Education Emin Amrullayev studied at the Faculty of Administrative Management of the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan from 1999-2003 and graduated with honors.
From 2003-2004, he continued his master's studies in political science at the Central European University in Budapest.
From 2010-2012, with the joint support of the "State Program for the Education of Azerbaijani Youth Abroad in 2007-2015" and the "Fulbright" program, he received a master's degree in public (administrative) administration at Columbia University in the USA.
Turkey's Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin graduated from the Faculty of Political Sciences of Ankara University with a specialization in public administration.
He later pursued master's and doctoral degrees in political and social sciences. Yusuf Tekin was appointed head of the Ministry of National Education after many years of academic and public administration work.
Pakistan's Federal Minister of Education Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui received medical education.
He graduated from Sindh Medical College. This higher education institution currently operates under the name Jinnah Sindh Medical University. Thus, the person leading Pakistan's education system had a medical specialization in higher education.
US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon graduated from East Carolina University in North Carolina in 1969.
She received a bachelor's degree in French and also obtained a teaching certificate. According to the university, one of McMahon's main goals in pursuing higher education was to become a teacher. In 2018, she was awarded an honorary doctorate in humanities by her alma mater, East Carolina University.
Great Britain's Secretary of State for Education Lucy Powell began her higher education in chemistry at Somerville College, Oxford University.
After studying there for one year, she transferred to King's College London and completed her bachelor's degree in chemistry there. Powell has been involved in politics and parliamentary activities for many years and was appointed Secretary of State for Education in 2026.
France's Minister of National Education Édouard Geffray studied at the Paris Institute of Political Studies.
He also obtained a master's degree in history from Paris-IV Panthéon-Sorbonne University. Geffray is also a graduate of the French National School of Administration. In his academic background, public administration holds a special place alongside humanities.
Italy's Minister of Education Giuseppe Valditara studied law at the University of Milan.
He later continued his academic career in law, especially Roman law. He worked as a professor at the university for many years.
Spain's Minister of Education, Vocational Training and Sports Milagros Tolón studied geography and history at the Complutense University of Madrid.
She later studied teacher training at the University of Castilla-La Mancha. Her higher education background includes both humanities and pedagogy.
Uzbekistan's Minister of Preschool and School Education Ezoza Karimova studied at the Faculty of Philosophy of Tashkent State University.
Her higher education specialization was philosophy, not directly pedagogy. In 2005, she studied at the Academy of State and Social Construction under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Russia's Minister of Education Sergey Kravtsov received higher education in mathematics and computer science teaching at the Moscow State Open Pedagogical University.
He later obtained a second higher education in state and municipal administration at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. Thus, his higher education background includes both pedagogy and public administration.
China's Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng studied engineering and computer science.
He received his bachelor's degree from Jilin University, his master's degree from Harbin Institute of Technology, and his doctorate from Beihang University. Huai Jinpeng also continued his academic activities and became an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
South Korea's Minister of Education Choi Kyo-jin received a bachelor's degree in Korean language education from Kongju National University.
In his subsequent career, he worked in teaching and education administration.
Germany's Federal Minister of Education Karin Prien studied law and political science at the University of Bonn.
She later obtained a master's degree in international commercial law from the University of Amsterdam. Her higher education background mainly consists of law and political science.
Australia's Minister for Education Jason Clare received higher education in arts and law at the University of New South Wales.
He holds a bachelor's degree in both fields. He later began a political career and participated in shaping the country's education policy.
Georgia's Minister of Education, Science and Youth Givi Mikanadze graduated from the Faculty of Law of Tbilisi State University.
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He later studied European Union law at the University of Essex in Great Britain. Mikanadze has been leading Georgia's Ministry of Education, Science and Youth since 2025.
Poland's Minister of Education Barbara Nowacka studied information technology and management.
She also studied at the Faculty of Management of Warsaw University. In addition, she completed a master's program in management in France. Nowacka worked as a manager at the Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology for a long time.
Finland's Minister of Education Anders Adlercreutz received higher education in architecture at Helsinki University of Technology.
This university is currently part of Aalto University. Adlercreutz graduated as an architect in 1999 and has held the position of Minister of Education since 2024.
