Prof Dr Ger Graus OBE – Children can only aspire to what they know exists

Ger Graus is a renowned figure in education, where he is the first Global Director of Education at KidZania.

KidZania, where children can experience the world of work through role-play, is designed to inspire and empower: “from inspiration to aspiration.” It globally has a presence in 30 cities with plans for a further 20 locations, including the USA and Canada.

Ger has been at the heart of independent research by, amongst others, the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, and the National Research University Moscow. He is now advocating a ‘Futures Awareness’ campaign to introduce career concepts into the primary school phase. He is currently, as Board Director, developing the concept of #Hybrid2.0 with Hello Genius. Before this, he was the founding CEO of the Children's University, a multiple-award-winning international NGO providing disadvantaged 5 to 14-year-olds with exciting learning opportunities outside school hours.

Before this, he was the founding CEO of the Children's University, a multiple-award-winning international NGO providing disadvantaged 5 to 14-year-olds with exciting learning opportunities outside school hours.

Ger was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in 2011 and, in 2019, became a Visiting Professor at the National Research University Moscow. In the 2014 Queen’s Birthday Honours List, Ger was made an Honorary Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to children.

In his book ‘Natural Born Learners’, author Alex Beard says: “In learning terms, Ger Graus is Jean-Jacques Rousseau meets Willy Wonka.”