Proud moment for UK Malayalees: Professor Valsa Koshy Receives an MBE from the Queen

By A Staff Reporter and By Joe Buchanunn Media Relations Brunel University

LONDON April 21: Professor Valsa Koshy, Emerita Professor of Education at Brunel University received her MBE from the Queen, last month, in recognition of her distinguished contribution to education.

Brunel University London’s Professor Valsa Koshy was delighted to receive her MBE from Her Majesty The Queen at a ceremony last month at Windsor Castle.

The Emerita Professor of Education was awarded the MBE in the New Year’s Honours list in recognition of her distinguished contribution to education in a range of roles spanning four decades.

Valsa Koshy was born in Kerala as the eldest daughter of Late KM Abraham and Late Mrs Thankamma Abraham. After obtaining graduation from Chemistry and Physics and a Masters in English she continued her education in the UK in 1969.

She taught in primary schools for 11 years before being appointed to the advisory team for Mathematics in the Inner London Education Authority, supporting teachers to enhance the quality of Mathematics teaching of children aged 4 to 11.

During this time she advised the Tony Blair government on policies on Education. She started her academic career in 1988 and in 2005 as Professor of Education, has focused on Mathematics Education and Gifted Education.

Her work is based on a broadened conception of talents and gifts rather than on labeling children and it focuses on the uniqueness of a child’s special strengths and interests.

The honour was in recognition of her contribution to education in a range of roles spanning four decades. A significant part of her research has focused on the recognition and fulfillment of submerged talent of students living in challenging circumstances.

This work is energised by her deep commitment to inclusion, social equality and social justice.

Valsa is the sister of Mrs Laila Abraham and Dr Anitha Mathews who lives in the UK. Her brother Dr Prasad Abraham lives in the US.

A significant part of her research has focused on the recognition and fulfilment of submerged talent of students living in challenging circumstances. Her most-quoted statement is that “talents may be submerged but not eradicated by social disadvantage”.

Speaking in December when the honours list was announced, Professor Julia Buckingham CBE, Brunel’s Vice-Chancellor and President, commented: “We are immensely proud of Professor Koshy’s many achievements.

This national honour is testament to her outstanding and sustained contribution to tackling social inequality through innovative approaches to primary and secondary education.”

Prof Koshy joined Brunel in 1996 to found the Brunel Able Children’s Education (BACE) Centre, which focuses on the search for and fulfilment of talents of children aged 4 to 16 years. Her work, based on a broadened conception of talents and gifts (rather than on labelling children as ‘gifted’ and ‘non-gifted’), has focused on the uniqueness of a child’s special strengths, passions and interests.

Her mission has been to empower teachers with strategies for effective classroom provision, so that they can provide enriching and enjoyable learning experiences to all pupils.

Prof Koshy’s many achievements include:

Urban Scholars, the multifaceted intervention programme she founded in 2000 to enhance the educational aspirations and prospects of children – and which has transformed the lives of hundreds of teenagers from low-income families. This work is energised by her deep commitment to inclusion, social equality and social justice.

Several projects supporting schools. In her most recent one, funded by the Mayor of London, she introduced mathematics talk in classrooms, which showed statistically significant improvement in children’s mathematical achievement – especially that of children with special needs and for whom English is an additional language.

Authoring numerous papers in national and international journals, and more than 20 books. Her latest book, Find and Nurture Your Child’s Gifts, forms the basis of her current project involving low-income families.

Funded through Brunel Access and Participation, the project aims to enhance children’s learning potential and wellbeing by promoting greater parental engagement.

Prior to joining Brunel, Prof Koshy gained two research degrees in Mathematics Education, from Kings College London and Exeter University, and was a member of the mathematics advisory team for the Inner London Education Authority.

She has continued to lead professional development programmes to support teachers with mathematics subject knowledge and pedagogy.

“I am extremely grateful to Brunel for the support I receive for undertaking some very complex projects,” Professor Koshy said.

“When a 7-year-old tells me ‘My mum could only speak Polish before; now she talks maths’, and when parents tell me that their young children are ‘making nuisances of themselves in supermarkets studying the sugar content of packs of cereal’, you know you are doing something worthwhile”.

Professor Julia Buckingham CBE, Vice-Chancellor and President of Brunel University London, said: “We are immensely proud of Professor Koshy’s many achievements. This national honour is testament to her outstanding and sustained contribution to tackling social inequality through innovative approaches to primary and secondary education.”

“Her pioneering intervention programmes have transformed the lives of many underprivileged young people, giving them the knowledge and skills they need to secure places at leading universities and setting them on the path to successful and rewarding careers.

Her work has been informed by her extensive research, which has provided a powerful evidence base to support the design and delivery of her programmes and maximise the potential for delivering real value.”