Digital Transformation and Equity Take Center Stage in Reshaping Global Education

Nearly 3,000 global education experts gathered in Chicago last month for the CIES 2025 conference, and a central question emerged: How can we harness digital transformation to create more equitable education systems worldwide? The conversations revealed challenges and promising approaches at the intersection of technology, equity, policy, and educational practice. 

The Global Partnership for Education Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (GPE KIX) and its partners presented a series of insightful panels that addressed these critical issues, highlighting evidence from GPE KIX research.

Digital divide and technology in Education

The digital divide emerged as a persistent concern throughout the discussions. GPE KIX-supported research projects have explored this challenge across multiple contexts, investigating how educational technology can address learning barriers while acknowledging regional disparities in access and infrastructure.

One such research examined distance education across Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, and Tajikistan, focusing on pandemic-era experiences to identify innovations and challenges in digital transformation. The research paid particular attention to vulnerabilities related to gender, geography, and ethnic or linguistic minority status, nurturing comprehensive knowledge exchange about rapidly digitalizing societies.

Highlighting research-to-policy impact, Abduvohid Safarov from Anahita, who led the research team in Tajikistan, explained how they worked closely with the Ministry of Education. "GPE KIX played a key role in convening a two-day stakeholder workshop that brought together all major actors in the education sector, local and international,” he said. During that workshop, the research team presented their evidence and proposals, which the Ministry received well. One key recommendation was to improve internet access by phasing out outdated 2G and 3G networks and transitioning to 4G."

The results were tangible. Abduvohid noted that the government has taken concrete steps. Recently, the Head of the Communications Committee of Tajikistan announced a 20 per cent reduction in internet costs nationwide and a plan to expand 4G and 5G coverage, especially in major cities. “This is just one example of how research supported by GPE KIX is not only driving innovation but is also helping shape national education priorities in Tajikistan," he added. 

Beyond infrastructure improvements, discussions at the Leveraging EdTech for teaching and equitable learning in the digital era session highlighted how technology innovations like the game-based program 'Can't Wait to Learn', a digital and personalised learning program designed specifically for those living in conflict-affected areas, can be adapted and scaled to improve education access by demonstrating effectiveness, aligning with national priorities, and developing relationships with key stakeholders. 

"We asked an important question: what was needed to scale education technology, such as 'Can't Wait to Learn', in conflict-affected and low-resource settings?" states Jasmine Turner of the War Child Alliance. "We learned that what created the willingness to adopt 'Can't Wait to Learn' was the alignment with national priorities and evidence of effectiveness. We collaborated with governments to develop curriculum and game content tailored to each country. While national institutionalization takes time, we're achieving bottom-up scaling through district governments." This approach resulted in a government-led implementation model in Uganda.

While digital tools offer new possibilities for increasing access to education, early childhood educators at the Integrating African Indigenous Practices and Digital Tools in Early Childhood Education session emphasized the importance of technological innovation complementing rather than replacing culturally responsive approaches, particularly integrating African indigenous practices with digital tools that honour indigenous knowledge systems. 

Equity Considerations in Educational Transformation

Alongside digital access, equity remained a core focus throughout the conference. The Don't forget about the boys: Educational equity in LMIC Contexts session highlighted that while the promotion of gender equality in education often focuses on girls, ensuring boys from marginalised communities stay in school is equally critical. Findings from the GPE KIX Project Lifting barriers: Educated boys for gender equality were discussed, including addressing boys' disengagement in education through a gender-transformative intervention model featuring curriculum guidance, classroom plans, and parent engagement strategies.

"Across the globe, young men hold less gender equitable attitudes than their fathers' generation. This has implications for everyone," highlighted Cody Ragonese from Equimundo: Center for Masculinities and Social Justice, in consortium with UNESCO, and the University of East Anglia, on this initiative. The project aims to create a scalable model that educates boys to become advocates for gender equality while developing digital materials to support these learning objectives.

As digital transformation continues to reshape global education, the CIES 2025 discussions reflected a growing consensus: practical innovations must ensure equity and must be evidence-based, contextually appropriate, and developed through genuine partnership with local systems. The work of GPE KIX projects exemplifies this approach, demonstrating how research can bridge the gap between educational innovation and sustainable systems change in diverse contexts worldwide.

About CIES 2025

The Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) 2025 conference, held in Chicago from March 22 - 26  gathered nearly 3,000 global education experts, educators, researchers, and policymakers to explore challenges and opportunities in education systems worldwide. This year's theme, "Envisioning Education in a Digital Society," reflects the rapid technological advancements reshaping our lives, work, and society, profoundly impacting education. The conference explored how the growth of connectivity and widespread use of digital applications drive digital transformations in education.