Dr Munther Wassef Masri was born in the city of Nablus in Palestine in 1935.
· Received his general education in Nablus before joining British universities, where he received his university degrees in Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Technical Education.
· Started his career as a vocational instructor, to become a principal of a vocational secondary school, and then director of the electric department in the Municipality of Nablus. He then moved to Amman-Jordan where he worked consecutively as Director of Vocational Education in the Ministry of Education, Director General of the Vocational Training Corporation, and Secretary General of the Ministry of Education.
· Became Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education during the period 1996-1998, after which he worked as Consultant to HRH Prince Al-Hassan bin Talal, Secretary General of the Higher Council for Science and Technology, and –until now- President of the National Center for Human Resources Development.
· Undertook consultancy services for several regional and international organizations including the Arab Labour Organisation, the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation, the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO, UNICEF, the World Bank, the European Training Foundation, GTZ, Bonn University, and others.
· He is holder of three national awards and medals, as well as the Jan Amos Comenius Medal awarded by UNESCO.
· Served as member of many Councils and Boards in the economic, social and educational fields.
· At present, he holds the following professional posts: Secretary General of the Arab Network for Open and Distance Education, Secretary General of the Jordanian Boy Scouts and Girl Guides Association, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Amman Arab University for Post-Graduates Studies, Vice-Chairperson of the National Council for Family Affairs which is chaired by HM Queen Rania, Member of the Board of Education, Member of Employment-TVET Council, and Member of the Editorial Board of the European Training Foundation.
· In addition to more than eighty research papers and studies, he authored and co-authored more than fifty books in the fields of electrical technology, education, human development and vocational education and training. His single-author books includes, in Arabic: Information, Knowledge Explosion and Youth (2004), Globalisation and Human Resources Development (2003), the Economics of Vocational Education and Training (2002); and in English: Vocational Education: The Way Ahead (1994).
· He published one collection of poems under the title: "Jerusalem".