Since 2012, Tanja Rankovic has led UNICEF Serbia’s education programme and has been behind numerous systemic initiatives aimed at improving the quality and equity of education for all children. Under her leadership, UNICEF in Serbia has launched key initiatives in early childhood education, inclusive and equitable learning, quality improvement, digitalization, violence- and discrimination-prevention, as well as efforts to reduce school dropout. Her extensive experience includes developing and coordinating strategic initiatives and partnerships with government institutions, academic organizations, civil society, and international partners. Tanja has also initiated and guided numerous research studies that have helped shape modern and effective education policies and inform evidence-based solutions across the system.

From 2022 to 2024, she developed and led UNICEF’s education, early childhood development, and adolescent programme in Slovakia.

Previously, from 2006 to 2012, she served as Deputy Manager and Coordinator for Education and Human Capital Development in the Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction Unit of the Government of Serbia/Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. In these roles, she oversaw the development, coordination, monitoring, and implementation of education policies within the social inclusion and poverty reduction agenda, and contributed to national strategic documents and major reform initiatives.

Between 1999 and 2006, she worked in the NGO sector in Serbia, Greece and North Macedonia.

She holds a master’s degree in education policy and advanced her professional expertise through the Equity, Quality and Leadership program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.