Teachers Without Borders
Teachers Without Borders is an international education organization that connects teachers to professional development, educational resources, and one another across national and conflict boundaries.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Teachers Without Borders (TWB) is an international education organization launched in 2000 by Fred Mednick, a former school principal. Its central premise is that teachers are community change agents and among the most important local catalysts for development, resilience, peace, and social improvement. Rather than treating education as a service delivered only by institutions or outside specialists, TWB emphasizes the professional capacity, local knowledge, and leadership of teachers themselves. The organization was created to reduce the isolation of educators and to expand access to information, peer networks, and professional learning. Its membership has been described as free and international, reaching educators in 177 countries by 2018. TWB's work has been delivered through online courses, school-based programs, community workshops, books, journals, and radio. The model is designed to function in settings with limited connectivity as well as in conventional school systems, and many resources are made available without charge under a permissive Creative Commons license. TWB's program portfolio has included education in emergencies, girls' education, peace and human-rights education, bullying prevention, information and communications technology in education, child-friendly spaces, and pre-service and in-service teacher development. Its five-course Certificate of Teaching Mastery was intended to help educators strengthen subject knowledge, classroom practice, and leadership skills. The program was made available online and was deployed or adapted in parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, Mexico, and Peru. Other courses included Educating Girls, ASAP: Education in Emergencies, Peace and Human Rights, High-Tech, High-Touch, High-Teach, and Global Urban Education. Some offerings were delivered independently or in collaboration with university and online-learning partners, including Johns Hopkins University's school of education, Rice University's Connexions platform, and the Canvas Network. Emergency education has been a major area of activity. TWB's approach covers preparedness and planning before a crisis, continuity of education during an emergency, and reconstruction and recovery afterward. The organization has supported teacher-focused responses to events including flooding in Pakistan and has been associated with Parsquake, a consortium concerned with earthquake science and safety in Persian-speaking and seismically vulnerable communities. Its girls' education work has addressed access, education during emergencies, public health, and empowerment, while also linking educators with organizations working directly in affected communities. A related Girls' Quake Science and Safety Initiative was developed with the United States Geological Survey to promote earthquake education for teachers and schools. Peace education is integrated into TWB's broader course and workshop portfolio. The organization has convened teachers from regions affected by conflict and has offered free peace and human-rights education materials intended for use in classrooms and communities. Its Voice of Teachers radio program in Nigeria extended the organization's communications model beyond online learning and was recognized as part of its peace-education work. TWB has received recognition for its education and peace initiatives, including the Champions of African Education Award in 2010 and the Luxembourg Peace Prize for Outstanding Peace Education in 2018. It also received an Ahmadiyya Muslim Peace Prize for work involving teachers in conflict-affected regions, professional development networks, and the integration of peace education into its initiatives. The organization's administrative history includes a significant compliance event. In May 2017, the United States Internal Revenue Service automatically revoked its federal tax-exempt status after it failed to file a Form 990-series return or notice for three consecutive years. The Washington State Office of the Secretary of State reported reinstating Teachers Without Borders on March 4, 2020. The available reference material does not establish the organization's current operating scale, leadership structure, headquarters, or legal status beyond those historical records.
History
Teachers Without Borders emerged in 2000 under the leadership of Fred Mednick, a former principal who framed the organization around the idea that teachers are essential local leaders and agents of community change. The organization sought to connect educators across borders with information, colleagues, and professional-development opportunities, addressing what it viewed as widespread professional isolation and inadequate access to teacher training. From its early development, TWB used a distributed model rather than relying on a single delivery channel. Programs were offered online, in schools, through community workshops, in publications, and on radio. Its resources were designed to be adapted by local educators and partners, and course materials were generally made freely available under a permissive Creative Commons license. This approach allowed the organization to work across differences in infrastructure, language, educational systems, and crisis conditions. Teacher development became a central pillar of the organization. Its Certificate of Teaching Mastery consisted of five courses covering professional knowledge, classroom practice, and leadership. The program helped extend online teacher training through Rice University's Connexions platform and later through the Canvas course platform. TWB also developed or promoted courses on girls' education, peace and human rights, information technology for educators, global urban education, and education in emergencies. Some programs were offered through or in connection with institutions such as Johns Hopkins University's school of education and the Canvas Network. Emergency education represented another major strand of the organization's work. TWB's model addressed the full crisis cycle: preparing schools and teachers before disasters, sustaining education during emergencies, and supporting reconstruction and recovery afterward. It reported involvement in teacher and community support related to natural disasters, including the 2010 Pakistan floods. The organization was also associated with Parsquake, a consortium focused on earthquake science and safety in Persian-speaking and other highly vulnerable regions. Its girls' education portfolio similarly linked educational access with emergency response, public health, and empowerment. A Girls' Quake Science and Safety Initiative, developed with the United States Geological Survey, sought to bring earthquake knowledge to teachers and schools in communities at risk. Peace education became both a dedicated program and a cross-cutting principle. TWB offered free peace and human-rights learning materials and worked to convene teachers from conflict-affected areas. It also used radio to reach educators and communities, including through the Voice of Teachers program in Nigeria. The organization reported that peace education was embedded in all of its courses and initiatives, reflecting its view that teacher development and conflict prevention could be mutually reinforcing. By 2010, TWB had received the Champions of African Education Award for its radio and capacity-building work related to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. In 2018, it received the Luxembourg Peace Prize for Outstanding Peace Education and an Ahmadiyya Muslim Peace Prize recognizing its work in teacher networking, professional development, and peace promotion. The same period saw the organization report a free membership network spanning 177 countries. The organization's public administrative record also includes a tax-status interruption. On May 15, 2017, the Internal Revenue Service automatically revoked its federal tax exemption because the organization had not filed a Form 990-series return or notice for three consecutive years. The Washington State Office of the Secretary of State later reported reinstating Teachers Without Borders on March 4, 2020. The available sources do not provide enough information to determine its present legal, financial, staffing, or program status.
- 2020
Washington State reinstatement
[1]The Washington State Office of the Secretary of State reported that Teachers Without Borders was reinstated on March 4, 2020.
- 2018
International membership reported at 177 countries
[1]Reference material reported that TWB's free membership network had reached 177 countries.
- 2018
Luxembourg Peace Prize recognition
[1]TWB received the Luxembourg Peace Prize for Outstanding Peace Education.
- 2017
Federal tax exemption revoked
[1]The IRS automatically revoked the organization's federal tax exemption following three consecutive years without a Form 990-series filing or notice.
- 2010
Champions of African Education Award
[1]TWB received recognition for radio and local education-capacity work supporting dissemination of information about the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.
- 2000
Organization launched
[1]Teachers Without Borders was launched by Fred Mednick to connect teachers with information, professional learning, and international peer networks.
Products and positioning
A global, teacher-led education-development organization focused on free or accessible professional learning, peer connection, peace education, emergency preparedness, and locally grounded social change.
Teacher professional development
Certificate of Teaching Mastery
A five-course professional-development program intended to strengthen teachers' knowledge, classroom practice, and leadership abilities. The program was made available without cost through online learning platforms and was deployed or adapted in Sub-Saharan Africa, Mexico, and Peru.
Emergency education
ASAP: Education in Emergencies
An online course and related initiative addressing preparedness, education during crises, and post-emergency reconstruction. It was designed to help teachers and education systems maintain learning and reduce the effects of disasters.
Peace education
Peace and Human Rights Education
A free course and resource area helping teachers incorporate peace, human rights, and conflict-sensitive learning into classrooms and communities. The initiative was also offered in connection with continuing-education opportunities.
Girls' education
Educating Girls
A course and program focused on girls' access to education, education during emergencies, public health, and empowerment. The initiative connected educators with organizations working on girls' education and was offered through university and online-learning partners.
Educational technology
High-Tech, High-Touch, High-Teach
A course addressing the use of information and communications technologies by educators while retaining attention to human relationships and classroom practice.
Educational radio and media
Voice of Teachers
A radio program in Nigeria that extended TWB's teacher-networking and education content to an audience beyond online course users. Its peace-education contribution was cited in the organization's award recognition.
Marketing campaigns
- Education in Emergencies
International
A program supporting teacher preparedness, educational continuity during crises, and reconstruction after emergencies, including work associated with disaster-affected communities.
Outcome. The program expanded TWB's teacher-led model into disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.
- Peace Education Initiative
International
A program providing free peace and human-rights education resources and convening educators from regions affected by conflict.
Outcome. The initiative became a defining part of TWB's educational approach and contributed to its peace-prize recognition.
- Girls' Education Initiative
International
A portfolio addressing access, emergency education, public health, and empowerment for girls, supported by educator networks and course materials.
Outcome. The initiative connected teacher development with gender equity and community resilience.
- Girls' Quake Science and Safety Initiative
Seismically vulnerable communities
A partnership-associated effort with the United States Geological Survey to provide earthquake science and safety education to teachers and schools.
Outcome. The campaign linked girls' education and school safety with local disaster-risk knowledge.
Brand decisions
2017
Federal tax-exempt status revoked after missed filingsOtherBackground
The IRS reported that the organization had failed to file a Form 990-series return or notice for three consecutive years.
Action taken
The IRS automatically revoked Teachers Without Borders' federal tax exemption.
Aftermath
Washington State later reported reinstating the organization in 2020; the available sources do not establish the full legal or operational aftermath.
Sources2 sources
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