British Council joins two UNESCO global education initiatives
The British Council has been recognised by UNESCO as a new member of two major global education initiatives – the Global Education Coalition and the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030.
The memberships reinforce the British Council's commitment to global education recovery, equity and innovation, while strengthening its role in shaping international policy and partnerships for inclusive, quality teaching and learning.
UNESCO launched the Global Education Coalition in 2020 to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education. Since then, the coalition's priorities have evolved to support Sustainable Development Goal 4, which focuses on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.
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The coalition now brings together more than 200 partners from governments, multilateral organisations, civil society and the private sector to support transformation in education systems. As a member, the British Council will contribute its experience in teacher development, English language education, and inclusive learning to help countries build resilient, future-ready education systems.
The British Council has also joined the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030, also known as the Teacher Task Force, which works to address the global teacher shortage and strengthen the status and support of educators worldwide.
The Teacher Task Force is an independent global alliance that raises awareness, expands knowledge and supports countries working to improve teaching quality and address teacher-related issues.
With more than 90 years of experience in teacher education and professional development worldwide, the British Council said it will bring valuable knowledge, skills and connections to the task force, particularly in supporting teachers in fragile, multilingual and under-resourced settings.
British Council Bangladesh Country Director Stephen Forbes said, "Bangladesh has made strong progress in expanding access to education, yet quality and equity remain national priorities. The British Council's membership in UNESCO's global education initiatives strengthens our ability to connect local expertise with international partnerships, supporting teachers and young people with inclusive, future-ready learning opportunities."
From large-scale teacher development programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia to digital learning platforms and support for English language teachers in conflict-affected regions, the British Council works with ministries of education, schools, universities and civil society to drive systemic improvement.
The organisation said its approach is rooted in research, collaboration and responsiveness to local context, helping ensure that solutions are both sustainable and scalable.
It added that participation in both the Global Education Coalition and the Teacher Task Force would create new opportunities to support ministries of education, school leaders, teachers and young people through evidence-based programmes, peer-learning networks and scalable innovation.
