Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Centre

Join us for a seminar by Professor Ricardo Sabates (University of Cambridge) on Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) and the challenges of scaling evidence-based interventions. Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) is a proven pedagogical approach that groups children by learning level rather than age or grade, and provides targeted instructional support. Evidence from Asia, Africa, and Pakistan demonstrates its effectiveness in improving foundational learning outcomes, particularly for marginalised groups, through a cost-effective model. This seminar will present findings from an evaluation of an ongoing TaRL intervention implemented in government schools across two districts in Sindh. The study examines the key enablers and challenges involved in scaling the intervention across all government schools in the province. * Date: Monday 9th March  * Time: 12:00–1:00 pm This is a hybrid seminar. Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/eD_g-_tx

Thanks for sharing Mathilde NICOLAI. This complements our seminar the day before in collaboration with University of the Western Cape on: Equity in international partnerships: Rethinking global research collaborations Tuesday 3 March, 11:00-12:00 GMT/ 13:00-14:00 SAST Alongside partners from #Ethiopia #India & #SouthAfrica, we will be analysing partnerships between Global North & Global South & whether & how they embody equitable access to resources, knowledge production & recognition. Join us in person (in Cambridge or Cape Town) or online: https://lnkd.in/exibXgwz We then look forward to joining the Cambridge Education session the day after!

🗓️ Tuesday 3 March 11am-12pm UK time (1-2pm South Africa) Join us for our joint seminar with University of the Western Cape: Equity in international partnerships: Rethinking global research collaborations The seminar will analyse partnerships between Global North & Global South & how they embody equitable access to resources, knowledge production & recognition. Speakers: ➡️ Professor Tassew Woldehanna Addis Ababa University #Ethiopia ➡️ Professor NEERU SNEHI National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) #India ➡️ Dr ANANYA CHATTERJI Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) #India ➡️ Professor Shaun Pather Advisor to the Vice-Chancellor UWC Register to join us in person in Cambridge or Cape Town, or online: https://lnkd.in/exibXgwz

📣 The Call for Submissions to the 2026 What Works Hub for Global Education Conference is now open! ➡️ Visit our website to learn more about the conference and how to submit your findings on implementation of foundational learning policies and programmes at scale in the Global South: https://lnkd.in/eU6xGezM Our 2026 conference will bring together rigorous research with practical policy and implementation experience to drive improved knowledge and practice. We invite submissions from researchers, implementers and policymakers showcasing evidence and findings from their work. Submissions aligned with the following themes are encouraged:  🔹 Evaluation of foundational learning programmes at scale  🔹 Compelling policy and/or government-led scaling examples  🔹 Strong implementation science-oriented measurement techniques (eg implementation, learning, and cost measurement)  🔹 Adaptative and iterative approaches, including A/B testing  🔹 Evidence on core components of evidence-based approaches such as teaching at the right level or structured pedagogy  🔹 Evidence use for policy or programme decision-making  🔹 Service delivery (eg bureaucratic delivery mechanisms)  🔹 The intersection of GEDSI (Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion) and implementation at scale. Submissions close 8 April! #CallforSubmissions | #WWHGEConf26 | #Conference | #ImplementationScience | #WhatWorksHubforGlobalEducation | Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford

Great turn out yesterday for our seminar with recent PhD alumna Dina Fajardo Tovar, PhD & Elisa Bonilla-Rius BOTH Bonilla y Torres H. Consultoría en educación ➡️ Dina discussed key findings from her research on learning through play in Mexican pre-schools. She also presented actions taken to date to 'influence' policy & practice; what challenges & opportunities exist to do this; & asked for ideas of what else can be done. ➡️ Elisa provided an overview of educational practices & policies in relation to learning through play in pre-schools in #Mexico. She also addressed policies based on Dina's research & discussed what more could be done. ➡️ Ricardo Sabates chaired a discussion including around ideas for translating evidence into accessible language, through accessible & timely formats.

Scientific output in education in French-speaking Africa remains largely underrepresented in international academic and decision-making circles, despite the growing relevance and quality of research on the continent. That gap matters. When research is not well indexed, not widely accessible, or constrained by language and publishing barriers, locally produced evidence is harder to find, cite, and use, limiting its influence on education policy and practice. On 25 February 2026, ESSA, together with the Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Centre, is convening an invitation-only co-creation workshop to explore practical strategies to improve the visibility, accessibility, and sustainability of education research produced in French-speaking Africa. ------------------------- La production scientifique en éducation en Afrique francophone demeure largement sous-représentée dans les cercles universitaires et décisionnels internationaux, malgré la pertinence et la qualité croissantes de la recherche sur le continent. Ce manque est préoccupant. Lorsque la recherche est mal indexée, difficilement accessible ou entravée par des barrières linguistiques et de publication, les données probantes produites localement sont plus difficiles à trouver, à citer et à utiliser, ce qui limite leur influence sur les politiques et les pratiques éducatives. Le 25 février 2026, ESSA, en collaboration avec le Centre de recherche pour un accès et un apprentissage équitables (REAL), organise un atelier de co-création, à l'invitation uniquement, afin d'explorer des stratégies concrètes pour améliorer la visibilité, l'accessibilité et la pérennité de la recherche en éducation menée en Afrique francophone. Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Centre Hélène Binesse Badara SARR Krista Cecille Samson Laté A. Lawson, Ph.D Eli Tsegah Global Partnership for Education Education Out Loud (EOL)

Happy to share that our new paper has just been published in the International Journal of Educational Development: https://lnkd.in/eK5YGyjv I have recently been conducting a scoping review with colleagues at the Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Centre on teachers and teacher education in secondary education in Africa. One thing that has surprised me is how few longitudinal studies examine how secondary teachers’ engagement in professional development shapes their content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, or classroom practices, and how those changes are associated with student learning outcomes. As you probably know, there is no shortage of reform efforts focused on secondary teacher professional development across Africa. But rigorous longitudinal evidence on whether these reforms improve "teaching quality" and how those improvements translate into classroom practice and student learning outcomes at the secondary level remains limited. Our newly published paper speaks directly to this gap. We examine changes in "teaching quality" following secondary teachers' engagement in professional development, and how those changes are associated with students’ mathematics learning outcomes in Rwanda. This publication is part of the now-completed Leaders in Teaching Rwanda programme, a collaboration between Laterite and the Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Centre. If you are interested in education reforms related to teacher professional development, teaching quality, and student learning outcomes in Africa, this may be of interest. I would be very keen to hear from colleagues who are aware of similar recent studies (particularly post-2020) focusing on secondary education in Africa. Please do get in touch. Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Centre, Laterite, Philip Leonard, Pauline Rose Happy reading! 😊

Speaker Spotlight | UWC Impact Talks We’re delighted to welcome our fourth speaker and moderator, Dr Camilla Hadi Chaudhary, PhD, Educational Researcher at the University of Cambridge. Camilla’s work explores educational inclusion, policy, school leadership, and climate justice education, with a particular focus on low-income communities. Grounded in social justice theory and southern knowledge frameworks, her research challenges dominant narratives and foregrounds more diverse, context-driven ways of understanding education. She is Co-Founder of the South Asian Approaches to Researching Education (SAARE) Network, a member of the British Association for International and Comparative Education (BAICE) Executive Team, and serves as Associate Editor of the Cambridge Journal of Education. Join us on 25 February 2026, for our inaugural UWC Impact Talk – Architects of a New Humanity: How We’re Remaking Education for 2030 and Beyond. 📅 Wednesday, 25 February 2026 ⏲️ 14:00–15:00 (UTC) 🔗 Register here: https://ow.ly/ctV150YiJge #UWC #UWCImpactTalks #UWCEducation #ImpactTalks #EducationPolicy #GlobalLeadership #ArchitectsOfANewHumanity #EducationFor2030 #PlanetaryStewardship #SocialImpact #EquitableFuture #HumanCenteredEducation #AI #ClimateAction

Inspiring to see one of our MPhil students from last year Diana Amable sharing & building her skills at Tusome Africa, alongside another of our inspiring ex-students Bea Simpson. Great to keep in touch with our global family!