Aleksandar Baucal is a full professor in developmental and educational psychology at the Belgrade Faculty of Philosophy and visiting professor at the University of Tartu (Estonia). In 2023 he has been elected as a member of the International Academy of Education (IEA). As a researcher he has studied following topics: how children and the youth develop key competencies through interacting with their peers and adults; which characteristics of students, teachers and schools impact the students’ educational achievement; evaluation of quality, equity and efficiency of education (international and national assessment studies such as PISA study); experiences and position of children from the Roma community in education and the quality of their education; school assessment; student anxiety and its impact on learning mathematics; the importance of preschool education for child development and education etc. Published more than 200 papers to date (h index=24).

Engaged in education reform in Serbia between 2001 and 2004, for which he received the City of Belgrade Award in 2004. Former member of the Education Reform Council, National Education for All Forum (UNESCO) and the national curriculum commission. Founder and first director (2002-2004) of the national Center for Evaluation in Education (currently the Institute for the Evaluation of Quality of Education).
 
Worked as an international consultant for several international organisations since 2001: UNICEF, OSCE, Save the Children, Open Society Institute, European Commission and World Bank. As a consultant, he was hired on projects improving school assessment, development of external examination, development of national exams, analysis of effects and education policy development, as well as national curriculum development. Over the last 10 years he is intensively engaged in monitoring and improving the equity of education, particularly improving the quality of education for Roma children as one of the most sensitive and vulnerable groups of children in Serbia.