Global Education Initiative

The Global Education Initiative, launched during the Governors Meeting for IT/Telecoms on the occasion of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2003, has made significant progress in its overall objective to raise awareness and support the implementation of relevant, sustainable and scalable national education sector plans on a global level through catalysing Multistakeholder Partnerships for Education (MSPEs).

Building on the success of the Jordan, Rajasthan and Egyptian Education Initiatives, the past year marked a significant transition to propagate the multistakeholder partnership model globally through two additional major workstreams:

• A global partnership with UNESCO to codify, socialize and catalyse the use of MSPEs to all education stakeholders
• The launch of a Global Education Alliance to implement MSPE models in support of the Education For All Fast Track Initiative, a US$ 1.2 billion global coalition of education bilateral country donors whose objective is to implement the UN Education for All and Millennium Development Goals in education.

2008 GEI Focus Areas at a Glance

• Continued support of Egyptian and Rajasthan Education Initiatives; exploration of how the GEI can facilitate
• Deepening of relationships with key global education stakeholders from private sector, government, international organizations, civil
  society and the private sector
• Initiation of awareness raising, advocacy, communications and capacity building workstreams for MSPEs in Partnerships for
  Education
• Finalization of working arrangements to facilitate MSPE pilots under

The Global Education Initiative Model of Effective Partnerships for Education
As part of documenting the emerging promising practices and lessons learned based on the considerable experience gained through the Jordan, Egypt and Rajasthan initiatives, a comprehensive analysis has been conducted. The development of a model for implementation of MSPEs at the country level is included as part of the analysis. Key highlights from the analysis include:

Seven promising practices:

1. High level championing of an initiative from a senior figure or figures within each country or state
2. Project management office/unit managing and directing the initiatives
3. State or national steering committee
4. Organization of initiative activities into clear tracks
5. Careful plan including an outline of the required resources
6. Establishment of an Initiative Trust Fund
7. Activities that provide public sector employees with opportunities to work in private sector settings

Seven key lessons:

1. MSPEs can support education reforms
2. MSPEs must be very well and systemically managed
3. Leadership teams must include a balanced representation of educators, ICT experts and other types of partners
4. Changing teaching practices is a complex and challenging undertaking
5. Teachers and principals are at the heart of the change process
6. Sustained partner involvement should not be taken for granted
7. Monitoring and evaluation methods must be employed from the beginning