The Centre for Market Reform of Education is a new education research and policy unit based at 2 Lord North Street in London, the offices of the Institute of Economic Affairs. While working in cooperation with the IEA, the Centre is financially independent.

Its purpose is to explore the benefits of a more diverse, competitive and entrepreneurial education sector and the feasibility of market-led solutions to public policy issues.

We believe that the best education systems, worldwide, give schools the freedom to tailor their offerings to the market, and parents the freedom to choose the education that best-suits their children’s needs.

We are creating a forum for independent and innovative thinking about the way we resource and provide education in the UK that will, in turn, encourage educators to devise their own solutions.

The Centre will publish four research reports a year and organise a variety of forums and events to encourage enterprise and initiative in education with the long-term aim of changing the policy framework in which schools and other educators work.

In 2012-13 we are progressing projects considering policy options for demand-side reform of state provision; ‘portfolio’ education and the growth of education outside and beyond school; disruptive innovation and the role of the education entrepreneur; and for-profit schooling.

Published content shall be made as freely available as possible in order that the Centre may disseminate its ideas to as wide a readership as possible.