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On EdLabs

Welcome to On EdLabs—a dedicated hub for resources on evidence use in education. Designed to consolidate and showcase key insights, case studies, reviews and evaluations, this platform serves as a knowledge-sharing space for researchers, practitioners, funders, and policy labs. Built from OTT’s extensive experience, On EdLabs is a living repository of resources, evidence-informed advice, and a learning agenda for researchers and practitioners.

EdLabs are dynamic hubs that foster innovation and evidence-informed decision-making in education.+ 

Over the years, OTT, in collaboration with partners from around the world, has developed a rich array of resources aimed at enhancing the effectiveness and sustainability of EdLabs worldwide. In this section, we highlight what we have learned from working closely with various education labs and how these insights can shape future initiatives.

Through our collaboration with the Jacobs Foundation and real-world case studies, we support policy labs at different stages of development, helping them navigate the political and technical challenges facing EdLabs and identify opportunities to effectively utilise existing evidence.

The following resources offer an introduction to evidence use in education and policy labs.

Mapping the Edlab Landscape

The Open Think Tank Directory has information about 1,000 policy research organisations working on education globally. This interactive table provides a map of the EdLab landscape. It is a valuable resource for understanding the diversity and scope of the EdLabs ecosystem.

[Mapping Coming soon] 

Evidence use in Education

EdLabs develop in the intersection between the fields of evidence use and education policy. The following resources offer an overview of both evidence use and evidence use in education.

Working with governments

At the core of interventions to design and embed EdLabs is the need to work with national and local governments. These resources share resources and experiences related to how government works and international development funders working with governments.

Advice for funders

Funders efforts to support the formation and development of EdLabs can follow best practice, principles and opportunities to collaborate.

Incorporating politics and power

At the core of the efforts is the need to understand and work with dynamics of power. Incorporating politics goes beyond conducting ex-ante political economy analyses; it demands a more nuanced and careful engagement with multiple actors, their interests and long term trajectories. The following resources provide insights into the politics of evidence informed policy.

Useful resources

To succeed in informing policy and embedding a culture of evidence informed policymaking, EdLabs need to continuously develop new knowledge and skills.

Engaging with On EdLabs

The EdLabs knowledge hub proactively develops and shares resources and advice with EdLabs and their supporters.

  • We provide opportunities to undertake research about EdLabs and the broader evidence informed education policymaking field as well as in-dept case studies.
  • On EdLabs also develops and delivers bespoke learning and training opportunities for EdLabs and their supporters.
  • Please contact us if you would like to share relevant resources