Richard Sunderland

Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, American Public Education

Search every verified Richard Sunderland interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. In a September 2020 interview, Richard Sunderland, then Country Director for the British Council in Myanmar, discussed the organization's education programs in the country. Sunderland stated that the British Council had been in Myanmar since 1946 and delivers about 880,000 UK qualifications annually. He described the TREE program, a UK-funded initiative that places facilitators in teacher education colleges to support teaching practice and English language competency. Sunderland said the program aims to strengthen teacher education and that inclusion is a key theme, ensuring educators find ways to include students from all backgrounds. He also noted support for the National Institute of Higher Education Development, which he described as a body supporting Myanmar's universities with a focus on leadership and internationalization. Sunderland said the British Council's purpose is to build trust and understanding between the UK and Myanmar through educational exchange. He stated that libraries remain relevant in a digital world by evolving into community spaces, and mentioned the launch of a Digital Library in Myanmar available 24/7. Sunderland described Myanmar's youth as optimistic and hopeful for the future, and noted that anyone in Myanmar can access free English learning resources through the British Council's website, Facebook page, and mobile apps.