Unprecedented mapping of educational research in 10 African countries

Education plays a central role in the sustainable development of African countries. However, persistent challenges such as low school graduation rates, insufficient quality of learning outcomes and lack of teacher training are holding back improvement. Against this backdrop, an ambitious initiative by the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) and GPE KIX’s Africa 21 hub aims to transform the education systems of 10 countries through the unprecedented mapping of educational science research.  

A tool for structuring and promoting educational research 

This mapping will help identify, structure and reference existing research networks, as well as promote the themes and results of this research. The challenge is to make them available to political bodies so that they can use them to drive priority national educational reforms, while highlighting pedagogical innovations.  

Ten countries are involved in this mapping exercise, which will run until June 2025: Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Togo and Senegal. The research focuses on referencing available scientific works, such as specialized articles published since 2015 in dedicated journals, books, theses or even seminars and symposiums, on pedagogical practices and innovations in training.  

A collaborative project to support education system reforms 

A team of international experts and local representatives will work synergistically to collect, analyze and validate data. An analysis grid will be used to collect the information available in each country, then a comparative analysis will establish the differences in methodologies and themes between the countries, thus identifying ways of integrating these research results into national policies.  

These results will be of use to policy-makers, researchers, teaching staff and educational institutions, who will be able to draw on evidence-based data to reform education systems sustainably. 

Through this mapping, the AUF and the GPE KIX’s Africa 21 hub are developing closer collaboration among researchers and political decision-makers. The use of evidence will help consolidate more inclusive and resilient education systems. This project, a bridge between research and practice, embodies a vision of the future in which education becomes a central pillar of sustainable development.  

This work is supported by the Global Partnership for Knowledge Exchange and Innovation in Education (GPE KIX), a joint initiative with Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC). The GPE KIX’s Africa 21 hub is led by a consortium of three organizations: the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), the Conférence des ministres de l’Éducation des États et gouvernements de la Francophonie (CONFEMEN) and l’Institut de la Francophonie pour l’éducation et la formation (IFEF-OIF).