Translating Foresight into Action: Announcing Four New Research Studies with IDRC’s EmpowerED Programme
Two main transformative factors are rapidly changing the future of education. Developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and the increase in conflict and crisis globally are disrupting learning, the management of education systems, and even what teaching looks like in many contexts. Alongside this, the international cooperation space is shrinking and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are facing increasing budgetary and fiscal limitations. To ensure education systems in LMICs can navigate these twin forces, EdTech Hub partnered with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) under its EmpowerED programme. This three-year partnership aims to strengthen the capacity of governments and their partners to anticipate and respond to these complex disruptions.
Recognising that preparedness requires a clear view of the possibilities ahead, this collaboration began with a crucial strategic foresight process. This initial work involved developing future scenarios for education systems in 2035 by exploring key trends in AI, and conflict and crisis. By imagining these different future possibilities, for better or worse, we can better prepare for them. This foundational foresight work is now informing the next phase of our partnership with IDRC: an action-oriented research programme designed to translate these insights into practical steps for governments.
Today, we are excited to announce our four new research studies emerging from this strategic foresight process. These studies will help inform what preparedness can look like and help decision-makers determine what and how to prioritise within their specific context and communities.
The Four Research Studies and Their Hypotheses
These four studies are designed to address the two levers of change previously identified: AI in education, and education in conflict and crisis (EiCC).
1. AI in Education Service Delivery
This study investigates how AI can be leveraged to improve the effectiveness of service delivery by Ministries of Education (MoE) in LMICs. Using a hypothesis-based approach, we’re mapping our research plan to address the following hypothesis:
2. The Influence of Private Sector AI in Public Education
This research tackles the risk that global private sector-driven AI enhancements in education(AIEd) may exert undue influence on public education provision, potentially allowing financial motivations to supersede holistic educational goals. To address this risk, the research tests the following hypothesis:
3. Technology for Learning Continuity in Education in Crisis and Conflict
This study addresses the challenge that fully in-person education is often impossible during conflicts and crises, focusing on how technology can ensure increased learning continuity through blended learning that meets varied situational contexts and scenarios. To understand and strategise for continuity and adaptability, our work will explore the following hypothesis:
4. Cross-Border Accreditation for Education in Conflict and Crisis Settings
This research focuses on the often complicated bureaucratic challenges displaced populations face in having their prior learning and educational attainment recognised by host country institutions and Ministries of Education. The study specifically looks at the potential role of technology in solving this challenge, using the following hypothesis:
Methods to Strengthen Government Capacity
A core objective of this research programme is to support governments in building stronger, more resilient systems. Therefore, the methodologies deployed across all four studies are designed specifically to strengthen government capacity through active participation, knowledge co-generation, and practical guidance development. These collaborative methods — including Design-Based Implementation Research, participatory action research, Key Informant Interviews, and validation/co-design workshops — ensure that the research findings are timely, actionable, and impactful at the policy and systems level, enabling governments to lead effectively in an increasingly complex world. The research studies will produce evidence-based outputs such as conceptual frameworks, learning briefs, “Learning out Loud” blogs, practical guidance documents, and journal articles. These are aimed at strengthening governments’ capacity, as well as contributing to the global evidence base on how best to support governments in these rapidly changing times. Additionally, the studies leverage approaches and insights from, as well as continue to inform, EdTech Hub’s broader work on Education in Emergencies and AI (through the AI Observatory).
We invite you to join us on this journey as we work to build a more equitable future for all learners through strategic, evidence-informed action.
