Bilal Barakat and Stephanie Bengtsson first worked together in 2008 and witnessed firsthand the value of a complementary yet collaborative approach within international education and development. Many years later, after building significant expertise and experience, both as individuals and as a team, we decided to found benedex, a boutique consultancy offering quality services in international education and development, underpinned by principles of complementarity, collaboration, and creativity.
A dynamic educator, development specialist, and researcher, I have over 15 years of professional experience, focusing on international policy and development, teacher issues, education in crisis and displacement contexts, and qualitative and mixed methods research to inform policy and practice. My work in teacher education and with a range of international organisations, including UNESCO, INEE, and UNICEF, has centred around the notion of education as a life-saving and life-sustaining right, for learners and teachers alike. I hold a doctoral degree in international educational development from Teachers College, Columbia University, an MPhil in inclusive education from the University of Cambridge, and an AB (Hons) in English from Harvard University.
I am a researcher, policy analyst, and lecturer with over 15 years of experience improving our understanding of education systems, with an emphasis on education statistics and demographic perspectives. My analyses have appeared in leading academic journals and have informed the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), UNESCO, the World Bank and other international organisations. I hold a DPhil in educational planning and an MSc in mathematics from the University of Oxford.
benedex was incorporated in Vienna, Austria in late 2022, marking a new phase in our professional partnership. With over three decades of sector experience between – first as accomplished academics and lecturers and then in positions of responsibility in the United Nations – we decided to found benedex because we recognised that we could make our greatest contribution by joining forces and applying our collective expertise to real-life policy issues with an independence that allows us to be critical and creative. We knew our philosophies and working styles match and make working together both productive and enjoyable, and our complementary experiences and expertise mean we can effectively support but also challenge each other, to the benefit of the work we deliver.
Paniglgasse 17A/13
1040 Vienna
AUSTRIA
partners@benedex.at