Building future-ready education systems: Announcing a multi-year partnership between IDRC and EdTech Hub

The Challenge

How children learn, and how teachers teach, might look very different in 10 years time.

We believe that two megadrivers of change have the potential for transformative impact on education systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). 

One is artificial intelligence (AI). According to one study by the World Bank, the top 40 generative AI tools attract 3 billion visits per month, from hundreds of millions of users. 

Another is the increase in conflict and crisis around the world. UNICEF has highlighted that 242 million students suffered school disruptions due to climate events in 2024, and UNHCR have highlighted that 7.2 million refugee children — nearly half of the total — are out of school.

IDRC and EdTech Hub’s partnership for solutions 

As education systems navigate the twin pressures of rapid technological advancement and growing instability, bold and collaborative action is essential. To help meet this challenge, the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and EdTech Hub have launched an exciting three-year partnership under IDRC’s EmpowerED programme. Our shared goal: to strengthen the capacity of governments – and those who support them – to anticipate and respond to the complex disruptions and innovations shaping the future of education. 

EdTech Hub is leading the global component of this initiative where we will: 

• Deepen understanding of how AI and conflict and crisis may affect education systems over the next 10 years; 
• Surface practical, evidence-informed strategies for governments and their partners to build stronger, more resilient systems through mixed-methods research; and
• Synthesise and strategically disseminate findings – from our own work and across the EmpowerED portfolio – to ensure research is timely, actionable, and impactful at the policy and systems level.

This effort is grounded in close collaboration not only between IDRC and EdTech Hub, but also with an outstanding group of regional and country-level partners – including Fundación Ceibal, ESSA, ADEA, LIRNEasia, mPower, FIT-ED, the Vietnam National Institute of Educational Sciences (VNIES), and CDRI – each of whom is leading complementary research and capacity-strengthening efforts within their regions. 

This work along with our broader regional collaborations with IDRC will help drive forward critical knowledge sharing and guidance for the education sector — and beyond. 

“Together with IDRC, we are excited to make meaningful contributions toward shaping the future of education in an increasingly complex world. As AI, conflicts, and crises reshape the landscape, our collective efforts will support governments, educators, and communities to build resilient education systems that are adaptable, inclusive, and future-ready,” said EdTech Hub Executive Director Verna Lalbeharie. “This is more than just research—it’s a call to action for transformative change, rooted in evidence and collaboration, to ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive in a rapidly changing world.”

“Through EmpowerED, we wanted to contribute to the challenges facing education from a perspective that combined three key elements in the best possible way: 1) a focus on educational policy in low- and middle-income countries and the needs of those who design and implement it, allowing them to define the terms of use beyond market pressures and the buzz of the latest technology; 2) promoting informed policy discussion always based on the best evidence—that which is not only reliable but also adapted to and aware of local needs and conditions; and 3) taking a long-term view, not just looking at immediate concerns, to understand how emerging trends might shape public education over time,” said Florencio Ceballos, Senior Program Specialist, Education and Science Division, IDRC-CRDI.

Looking ahead

We look forward to creating shared impact through this dynamic partnership. Our first contribution to the sector under the EmpowerED programme will be released this week: a spotlight on the key trends likely to shape education systems over the next decade, drawn from a strategic foresight process we led earlier this year. Strategic scenario planning today can help us build a more equitable future for all learners. We invite you to join us as we explore a set of future scenarios that reflect the complex challenges – and opportunities – that education systems may face.

If you’d like to learn more or be a part of future explorations, get in touch with us at hello@edtechhub.org.