Amy Lightfoot, Academic Director, English and School Education
The British Council has been formally recognised by UNESCO as a new member of two key global education initiatives: the Global Education Coalition and the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030. This membership demonstrates and reinforces the British Council’s commitment to global education recovery, equity, and innovation, and strengthens its role in shaping international policy and partnerships for inclusive, quality teaching and learning.
The Global Education Coalition was launched by UNESCO in 2020 to mitigate the impact of the educational disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Post-pandemic, the Coalition's priorities have evolved to support Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4), which focuses on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all. The Global Education Coalition is advancing transformation in the education sector, bringing together over 200 partners from governments, multilateral organisations, civil society and the private sector to collaborate and work towards our shared goals. As a Coalition member, the British Council will contribute our extensive experience in teacher development, English language education and inclusive learning to support countries in building resilient, future-ready education systems.
The British Council has also joined the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030, dedicated to addressing the teacher-shortage crisis and advancing the status and support of educators worldwide. The International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030, or Teacher Task Force (TTF), is a global independent alliance which raises awareness, expands knowledge and supports countries working on improving teaching quality and teacher-related issues. The TTF members include national governments, intergovernmental organisations, non-governmental organisations, international development agencies, civil society organisations, private sector organisations and UN agencies.
Participation in both the Global Education Coalition and the Teacher Task Force will create new opportunities for the British Council to work in partnership to drive global impact, support ministries of education, school leaders, teachers, and young people with evidence-based programmes, peer learning networks and scalable innovations that reflect the diverse needs of its beneficiaries. The British Council’s active engagement in these forums will help ensure that learners and educators in all contexts benefit from global collaboration, policy alignment and sustained investment in education.