Jonathan Jansen

Jansen was born on 29 September 1956 in Montagu in the Western Cape region of South Africa, but grew up on the Cape Flats in the neighbourhoods of Retreat and Steenberg.^[4] He attended primary school at Sullivan Primary School, and then went to Steenberg High School.^[5][6] He describes himself as an average student at high school – more interested in soccer, swimming at Muizenberg and cycling with his friends. However his Latin teacher motivated him to excel in his studies and study further.^[5][6]

Jansen completed his B.Sc. (Botany and Zoology) in 1979 at the University of the Western Cape. In 1982 he received a teaching diploma and in 1984 a B.Ed. (Comparative Education) from the University of South Africa. He obtained an M.Sc. from Cornell University in 1987 and a Ph.D. ( Political Science ) from Stanford University in 1991.^[5]

Jonathan Jansen is Extraordinary Professor of Education at Stellenbosch University. He is currently the President of the Academy of Science of South Africa and a Knight-Hennessey Fellow at Stanford University.^[7] He was awarded the Division B Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Educational Research Association in 2025.^[8] He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.^[8]