EdTech Hub joins other world leaders in the research, practice, and advancement of comparative and international education at this year’s annual CIES convening.
This year, we are bringing a clear focus to our engagement:
- Education in emergencies and system resilience
- Implementation research in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)
- Responsible, evidence-informed AI in education
Across panels and workshops, we will share lessons from our work with governments and partners on how technology can strengthen education systems — not in theory, but in practice.
As part of these discussions, we will be sharing insights from our latest research on the role of technology in education while focusing on education in emergencies, application of implementation research in low- and middle-income countries to address learning gaps and our focus on AI and how we are engaging teachers in LMICs to understand, test, and shape how AI influences their work.
EdTech Hub Sessions
Realising the Triple Nexus Approach: Engaging Teachers and Other Stakeholders in Education and Emergencies Research
- Date: 30 March 2026
- Time: 2:45 to 4:00 pm
This session explores how EdTech can move beyond siloed humanitarian-development-peace responses toward shared, long-term outcomes. Drawing on research from Ukraine, Pakistan, and global evidence, we will examine:
- When and how EdTech best supports Triple Nexus ambitions
- What conditions enable sustainable impact
- Whether useful frameworks can be generalised across diverse crisis contexts
We will also contribute to a formal panel on hybrid learning in conflict, examining lessons from Ukraine’s digital response to war and what they mean for other crisis-affected systems.
EdTech Implementation Research in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Exploring Applications and Future Opportunities Through Inclusive Dialogue
- Date: 28 March 2026
- Time: 1:15 to 4:00 pm
This interactive workshop will explore how implementation research can help address persistent learning gaps while maximising opportunities for effective EdTech integration. Participants will engage with emerging frameworks and practical tools designed to move research from publication to policy and delivery.
Hybrid Learning in Conflict: Rethinking Blended Learning for Continuity, Impact, and System Resilience – Lessons from Ukraine
- Date: 28 March 2026
- Time: 1:15 to 2:30 pm
This formal panel examines the evolving role of hybrid learning in conditions of armed conflict, with a particular focus on Ukraine. It addresses how digital personalised learning (DPL) and blended pedagogies can sustain continuity of instruction, support teacher professional practice, and contribute to system resilience during periods of prolonged disruption. The panel is anchored in mixed-methods research and practice evidence from three leading organisations – War Child Alliance’s Can’t Wait to Learn (CWTL), Osvitoria, and EdTech Hub – each working closely with the Government of Ukraine. Together, these contributions situate Ukraine’s experience within a wider global conversation on digital learning in emergencies, drawing relevant lessons for other crisis-affected contexts in East Africa and the Middle East.
AI Observatory Sessions
Teachers in the Lead
- Date: 29 March 2026
- Time: 9:45 to 11:00 am
As artificial intelligence becomes more embedded in education systems, our focus remains clear: AI must strengthen — not sideline — teachers. This session showcases our Teachers in the Loop initiative, which centres educators in shaping how AI influences their professional practice.
Through our AI Observatory and Action Lab, we will share how we are working directly with educators in LMICs to test, shape, and evaluate AI tools.
Taking a Hypothesis-Based (and Human) Approach to Education in the Age of AI with the EdTech Hub
- Date: 29 March 2026
- Time: 4:30 to 5:45 pm
This workshop will introduce participants to the AI Observatory and Action Lab’s hypothesis-driven approach to navigating AI in education. Rather than starting with technology, this approach begins by understanding the key education levers which could be influenced by AI integration and then proceeds to identify hypotheses to be tested to determine what works, and to support intentional decisions about AI today, while keeping sight of where education needs to go next.
Navigating Education in the Age of AI: Insights from AI Observatory’s Approach to Evidence Generation and Guidance to Decision Makers
- Date: 1 April 2026
- Time: 1:15 to 2:30 pm
This session presents insights from three AI Observatory workstreams: horizon scanning, hypothesis-driven research, and benchmarking. Together, they demonstrate how evidence generation can guide ministries and systems toward safe, equitable AI adoption.
Connect with the EdTech Hub Team
Attending CIES? We’d love to connect.
CIES is always a valuable space to exchange ideas, reflect on evidence, and explore how EdTech can support stronger, more equitable education systems. If you’ll be there, come say hello to members of the EdTech Hub team:
- David Hollow
- Daniel Plaut
- Flic Burgess
- Kate Radford
- Katrina Barnes
- Lea Simpson
- Louis Major
- Verna Lalbeharie
In the coming weeks, we’ll share more details about our sessions and where to find us at the conference. In the meantime, we look forward to connecting with you at CIES 2026.
