Ishmael I. Munene is a professor of educational research, higher education and foundations in the Department of Educational Leadership, College of Education at Northern Arizona University. He obtained his PhD in Higher Education Administration and Policy Studies at the State University of New York at Albany, in the Department of Education Administration and Policy Studies. He also holds an MEd in Comparative and International Education and a BEd in English and Literature from Kenyatta University in Kenya.

Munene was born and bred in Nairobi. Nairobi is the largest city in East Africa, and is the main commercial hub of the region as well as the political and administrative seat of the Republic of Kenya. Prior to relocating to the United States, he taught classes in Educational Foundations in the Department of Educational Foundations, College of Education and External Studies (CEES) at the University of Nairobi.

Munene’s research interests centre on African higher education, private higher education, higher education governance as well as foreign aid and Africa’s educational development. He has researched and published widely in these areas, in addition to giving numerous academic presentations. His doctoral work focused on Kenya’s higher education as it relates to issues of equity and merit in the admission of students.