Tamsin Thomas, Senior Strategic Engagement Manager at Duolingo, former Research Manager at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, and Higher Education Manager at British Council USA, tells us of her first introduction to international education as an undergraduate student in international relations, which brought her to Canada for a study abroad period, and subsequently motivated her work in international offices at different UK universities.

Tamsin shares her passion for practical solutions capable of driving social mobility and scaling up access to education opportunities, and how this passion led her to join Duolingo to support initiatives to reduce barriers to quality education unlocking the potential of digital solutions, such as the Duolingo English online test. She reflects on the challenges facing universities having to find new stability in the context of today’s disruptive dynamics, from technological innovation to geopolitical tensions… and she shares the memorable experience of having to explain the potential consequences of the Scottish independent referendum to concerned prospective students when at the British Council USA, which helped with managing similar questions in the aftermath of Brexit.