admin As it commemorates five years of collaborative progress, UNESCO’s Global Education Coalition is setting new benchmarks to expand its global educational impact. Launched in 2020 to counter the COVID-19 pandemic’s disruption to learning, the Coalition has evolved into a powerful force accelerating Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), with an emphasis on digital learning, innovation, and inclusion.
Now comprising 233 members operating across 112 countries, the Coalition convened its annual Member Meeting on 24 March at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. Over 150 stakeholders gathered to reflect on progress and shape future strategies. Stefania Giannini, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Education, emphasised the Coalition’s transition from traditional partnerships to a more dynamic, multi-stakeholder model. She noted that collaborative leadership had become central to advancing the global education agenda.
Collaborative Missions Target Inclusive and Scalable Outcomes
Throughout the event, sessions were held by the Coalition’s four mission-focused initiatives: the Global Skills Academy (GSA), Global Teacher Campus (GTC), Global Learning House (GLH), and the Gender Equality mission. These sessions aimed to co-design approaches for reaching 2030 targets through inclusive, scalable actions.
The GSA and Gender Equality mission hosted a joint session to address large-scale skills development for youth, with a particular focus on empowering women and girls. The GSA set a target of equipping 10 million youth with employability skills, while the Gender Equality mission will launch targeted STEM programs to bridge gender gaps.
The GLH committed to building the largest global network of learning science experts by 2030, advocating for evidence-based practices in education. Partners discussed how technology, data, and collaborative design thinking could foster strategic partnerships and drive transformation.
The GTC plans to support 25 countries in adopting digital and AI competency frameworks into teacher education programs. Discussions focused on integrating AI in classrooms and the challenges teachers face in adapting to these shifts.
Driving Digital Change through Policy and Infrastructure
On 25 March, the Digital Transformation Collaborative (DTC) hosted a technical workshop focusing on sustainable digital transformation. The DTC outlined plans to help 50 countries develop national digital education strategies by 2030 through targeted capacity-building and policy support. Key themes included improving digital infrastructure and leveraging data for evidence-based decision-making.
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