IIEP has a special ability to connect the local with the global, the decision-maker with the educational planner, and the academic with the practitioner. As power relations continually shift between governments, corporations, civil society and other actors, IIEP’s ability to convene and connect is critical and valued.
The Institute’s Policy Fora are annual rendezvous that provide a valuable opportunity for education actors from around the globe to share their knowledge and experience and to exchange views on topics of current debate. Decision-makers, practitioners, civil-society representatives, and researchers learn from each other, and benefit from the variety of viewpoints on offer, in an atmosphere that promotes genuine dialogue and debate. Together with IIEP’s training programmes, technical cooperation, and research outputs, these always well-attended events contribute to creating an environment for change.
In recent years, IIEP’s Policy Fora have led to major IIEP’s foresight projects, including:
- In 2011, the Policy Forum on ‘Gender Equality in Education’ laid the groundwork for the Institute’s current Gender Programme.
- In 2012, the Policy Forum on ‘Engaging Youth in Planning Education for Social Transformation’ brought together youth, policy-makers, academics, and practitioners, to discuss how to promote the engagement of youth in education. The event led to a concrete Agenda for Action based on the key recommendations emerging from the event, which were then taken forward as part of IIEP’s ongoing follow-up programme on youth.