Ei-iE

The 10th Education International (EI) World Congress, meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 29 July to 2 August 2024:

1. Emphasises that union advocacy is at its most powerful when it is supported by research-based evidence;
2. Recognises the need to continue to strengthen the knowledge base of both the teaching profession and education unions and to build strategic capacity to act in the face of emerging challenges;
3. Notes that member organisations have a great interest in research particularly in a time of emerging technologies which can inform the development of their policies and underpin their advocacy and that this has led to a growing need for Education International to commission and disseminate research;
4. Acknowledges the inequity of research and knowledge construction, production, and financing in the world, the exclusion of perspectives of marginalised peoples and the consequential data gaps and their continuous impact on our understanding of education;
5. Recalls the UNESCO 2017 Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers providing a vision for science that goes beyond growth and productivity and puts human wellbeing and inclusion at the centre and welcomes the UNESCO 2024 call to Action on the Freedom and Safety of Scientists;
6. Notes that the Executive Board is responsible for providing strategic guidance on the use of research to achieve EI’s aims between world congresses;
7. Welcomes the establishment by the Executive Board of an Ad-hoc Advisory Group on EI’s Research Policy and their development of a set of research principles as well as a research checklist;
8. Recognises that the EI Research Institute (EIRI) Board has an ongoing role in providing advice to EI and the Executive Board about the wider research landscape;
9. Recognises further that the EI Research Network (ResNet) has an ongoing role in shaping and responding to EI research.

This Congress calls on member organisations to:

10. Continue to share research undertaken in their national context with EI and other member organisations and advocate for additional long-term funding;
11. Continue to collaborate on research within their respective regional structures.

This Congress mandates the Executive Board to:

12. Endorse the Research Principles (Annex I) and the Research Checklist (Annex II) as strategic tools designed to guide and strengthen EI’s research;
13. Oversee the development of an EI Research Policy based on the Principles and Checklist and providing appropriate measurements for success;
14. Strengthen the organizations’ capacity to conduct research by providing technical and financial support.

ANNEX I – Research Principles

Introduction

Educational research today sets the empirical framework for policy development, reforms and measures in the education sector - and for the knowledge base of the teaching profession, researchers and education personnel.

Education International (EI) has developed a significant body of research to guide its work in the education and research sector. The research principles will guide EI’s involvement and engagement in educational research projects and research advocacy work in accordance with its policy. The principles are not considered to be exhaustive or to list operational considerations but to provide important guardrails for research practice.

1. EI considers research and a dynamic evidence base as a crucial way of involving and gaining recognition for the perspectives of teachers and education personnel in the design and implementation of education policy.
2. The research projects that are initiated by EI, or that EI is part of through collaboration with others, should contribute to achieving our goals, advancing EI member organisations’ interests, and further strengthening EI as a research policy actor.
3. Equity and equality will be at the heart of all EI research.
4. EI will use its role as a research policy actor to increase the body of reliable and quality educational research – covering the entire range from early childhood to higher education sectors.
5. EI will work to actively support and involve educators and their unions in designing and implementing research projects at the international, regional, and national level.
6. EI research will contribute to a knowledge base of policies and activities which will provide support to member organisations in helping them to enable teachers to take part in educational research throughout their professional careers.
7. EI supports the right of every education union to carry out and disseminate context specific research.
8. EI research will be relevant, of high-quality, and contribute to counteracting the spread of misinformation.
9. EI research will show due consideration of regional balance and the diversity of the research produced.
10. Research dissemination will be integral to all research projects that are initiated by EI. Research should be easily accessible to member organisations and available, where appropriate, for professional use.
11. EI research will bridge the gap between research and practice by facilitating more cooperation between teacher unions and researchers, as partners in the research process, as applicable.
12. Research projects and collaborations carried out or commissioned by EI must be considered based on professional and research ethics guidelines, relevance, and their ability to add to the educational evidence base for member organisations. The benefits of the projects must be weighed against risks, and the total use of resources must be transparent.

ANNEX II – Research Checklist

Purpose

This checklist should be used when EI initiate research projects, when EI carries out or participates in research in collaboration with others. The checklist can also be used by member organisations. An overall assessment based on these guidelines must form the basis of decisions on whether to initiate or participate in research projects. The checklist is an articulation of the research principles.

• Does the research align with EI’s aims, values, and research principles?
• Does the research project strengthen EI as a research policy actor and advance EI members organisations and teachers and education personnels’ interests?
• Is the Research Project suitable for further developing EI, member organisations or the teaching profession?
• Does EI, teacher unions or members have a role in designing and implementing the research project?
• Are the perspectives of unions, teachers, and education personnel integrated into the design and content of the research project?
• Has the research undergone, or does it outline appropriate ethics screening at all levels/stages of the research process?
• Are equity and equality considered in the research project?
• Does the research have regional balance where appropriate?
• Does the research consider a broad range of sectors where appropriate?
• What are the economic, ethical and professional risks of participating in the research project?
• Is data sufficiently protected? (Privacy policy)
• Are risks mitigated and benefits shared?
• Are there any commercial interests in the research project?
• Is research dissemination part of the research project and results made easily accessible to member organisations and the teaching and other education professions as well as education personnel?
• Is the research available for professional use?
• Are there any potential, known, or possible financial or non-financial conflicts of interest with EI and any participating organisations, collaborators, consultants, researchers, or others involved in the project?
• The purpose of the research: advocacy/knowledge production/ knowledge transfer
• Translation of the research, not only the languages but also the ideas.