BE² July News: What’s New in Education Evidence?

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  • The UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities webinar Digital Learning for Older Adults – Advancing Inclusion in Learning Cities took place on 15 April 2026. Part of UNESCO UIL’s Unlocking the Power of Lifelong Learning webinar series, the session explored how cities can promote digital inclusion for older adults through tailored skills programmes, community-based learning, intergenerational approaches, and local partnerships, with practical examples from Australia, Ireland, and Colombia. Watch here.
  • The Africa Teachers Webinar Series webinar Innovations in Education for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons took place on 18 June 2026. Hosted by UESCO IICBA and partners, the session explored innovative approaches to improving the quality of education for refugees and internally displaced learners, highlighting teacher development, technology-enabled foundational learning, and strategies to promote gender equality and inclusive education. Wacth here.
  • The OECD webinar How to Improve Early Childhood Education and Care for Children under 3 took place on 24 June 2026 (online). Drawing on findings from TALIS Starting Strong 2024, the session explored how countries can expand high-quality, equitable ECEC for children under three, with discussions on access, workforce challenges, and different models of provision. Watch here.
  • Call for Papers: 5th GPE KIX Africa Research Symposium – Abstract submissions are open until 10 July 2026 for the symposium, taking place 20–22 October 2026. The event will bring together policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to explore evidence on financing education transformation in Africa, with a focus on sustainable financing, equity, teacher workforce development, data systems, and education resilience. Apply here.
  • The Africa Foundational Learning Exchange 2026 (FLEX 2026) conference will take place from 15 – 17 July 2026 in Lilongwe, Malawi. The conference will bring together policymakers and global partners to advance foundational learning at scale, with a focus on sharing evidence-based approaches and strengthening delivery for teachers and learners. Register here.
  • The What Works Hub for Global Education Biennial Conference will take place on 15 – 16 September 2026 at the Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford, UK. Bringing together over 200 decision-makers across government, donors, research, and civil society, the conference will provide a platform to exchange research, policy, and practice on improving foundational learning globally. Confirmed applicants have been notified.

Useful resources

Blogs

  • A New Way to Learn: How Roots to Rise Is Transforming Classrooms in Uganda – This Hempel Foundation article highlights how Building Tomorrow’s Roots to Rise programme is helping address learning poverty in Uganda through Teaching at the Right Level. By grouping learners according to their abilities, equipping teachers with practical training, and using interactive, play-based lessons, the initiative is improving foundational literacy and numeracy while expanding access to quality learning at scale.
  • Grenada turns private sector commitment into action for early learning – A Global Partnership for Education (GPE) blog highlights how Grenada is combining government leadership, private sector investment, and evidence-informed approaches to strengthen foundational learning. The piece showcases an innovative financing model that matches private contributions with GPE funding to support early literacy and improve learning outcomes for all children.
  • How social and emotional learning can improve resilience and wellbeing for students in the Middle East – A Porticus blog explores how integrating social and emotional learning (SEL) into education systems can strengthen student wellbeing, resilience, and inclusive learning environments in crisis-affected contexts. Focusing on Lebanon, the piece highlights locally led efforts to embed SEL into schools through collaboration with government and education partners to support long-term education system resilience.
  • New concept note launched for consultation on the 2027 GEM Report on learning and quality – A UNESCO GEM Report blog outlines the proposed focus of the 2027 report, which will examine learning outcomes, education quality, and the policies that drive improvement. The concept note invites global consultation to help shape evidence, country case studies, and policy recommendations that will inform the post-2030 education agenda.
  • Why the future of jobs depends on education system leadership – A World Bank blog explores the critical role of education leaders in turning reforms into practice, supporting teachers, and ensuring education systems equip learners with the skills needed for the future workforce. Drawing on global evidence and examples such as in Singapore, the piece highlights leadership as a key driver of lasting education improvement.

Other Resources

  • Capitalizing on Mass Media to Improve Early Childhood Development – This Dubai Cares-funded study explores how caregivers in rural Burkina Faso perceive and engage with early childhood development activities. The research finds that while responsive caregiving and stimulation were not widely practised, caregivers were highly receptive to interactive approaches such as talking, playing, and praising children, highlighting the potential of culturally tailored mass media campaigns to strengthen early childhood development practices at scale.
  • Effective Families or Effective Schools? Experimental Evidence on Fostering Children’s Numeracy – This Inter-American Development Bank working paper reports findings from a randomized controlled trial in Colombia comparing family and school-based interventions to improve early numeracy. The study finds that both parental engagement and teacher professional development independently produce similar, meaningful gains in children’s mathematics skills, but combining the two does not lead to additional improvements. The findings suggest that, in this context, investing in either families or teachers can be an effective and cost-effective strategy for strengthening foundational numeracy.
  • IIEP in Action 2025-2026 – UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) – This report highlights how IIEP supported 57 countries in strengthening education systems through evidence-informed planning, financing, leadership, climate resilience, AI, gender equality, and inclusive education. It showcases practical examples of how governments are translating education policies into action while building more equitable, resilient, and sustainable education systems through capacity development, technical assistance, and cross-country learning.
  • Jacobs Foundation Annual Report 2025 – The report highlights how the Jacobs Foundation is advancing evidence-based education systems by investing in research, strengthening evidence synthesis, supporting national education reforms, and aligning financing with what works. Showcasing initiatives across countries including Ghana, Colombia, and Switzerland, it demonstrates how research, partnerships, and system-wide approaches are helping translate evidence into lasting improvements in children’s learning and development.
  • Lifelong Learning and Skills for the Future – An International Labour Organization (ILO) report examines how lifelong learning can help workers and societies adapt to technological change, demographic shifts, and the green transition. Drawing on new survey data and global evidence, it highlights the importance of inclusive lifelong learning systems, skills development, and coordinated policies to build resilient labour markets and prepare people for the future of work.
  • The OECD’s Evidence Web for Education (EWE) has collaborated with the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre to host two webinars on GenAI for knowledge brokers supporting evidence-informed policy making. The webinars explore how generative AI is shaping the science–policy interface: what human–AI collaboration should look like, what is the role of brokers in the age of AI, and which capabilities will they need. Links to the webinars and their presentations, as well as other live updates on the work-in-progress of the OECD, can be found on EWE’s community platform. Click here to register.