Review education policies
Examine the OECD's extensive research and analysis of education policy around the world. Get a quick overview of key insights and policy options for a wide range of topics in education. Or delve deeper into the OECD knowledge base through quick and easy access to related websites and publications.
Education is complex. Policies and practices, as well as inputs, processes and outcomes, stand in a dynamic relationship with each other. Explore how different topics can be related through a visual network of education policy.
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Future of education
Underlying a host of recent technological, political, economic and demographic transformations across the world is the recognition of their global scale. Thanks to AI advances, decreasing transportation costs, evolution of international agreements, and integration of markets, people, goods and services travel more easily than ever bringing to societies both, increased diversity, but also a growing uniformity of experiences and challenges. Migration, climate change, interdependency of financial markets, urbanisation, changes in family configurations, ageing societies, increasing public spending, and growing inequalities are just some of the current trends faced by governments around the world. Many of such deep transformations require not only local, but also global solutions. Education systems are certainly influenced by these trends, but they also have the power to transform these changes into assets for the future. More
Research & Innovation in education
Innovation in education enhances learning, teaching, and policy through advances in ICT, neuroscience, and learning sciences. However, integrating research into practice remains a challenge due to gaps in knowledge mobilisation and accessibility. Stronger collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and educators, along with better funding and digital tools, can drive effective reforms. Governments play a key role by promoting evidence-based policies, fostering strategic leadership, and supporting continuous innovation to better prepare students for future demands. More
Career guidance
Career decision-making is increasingly complex as individuals navigate a wider range of options in a fast-changing labour market. Lifelong learning has replaced the notion of preparing for a single career, making career guidance essential. Effective guidance provides information on education pathways, training, and job prospects, boosting confidence and improving alignment between education and employment. However, challenges such as undertrained counseling staff, fragmented services, and limited access to labour market data weaken its impact. To be effective, career guidance must equip individuals with long-term career management skills and be accessible throughout life. Strengthening staff training, improving real-time labour market insights, and ensuring sustainable funding are key to making career guidance a vital tool for lifelong learning and employment success. More
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Title
Glossary
| OECD Glossary of Statistical Terms |
| Glossary of OECD Education at a Glance |
| International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) |
Note
The development of education policies always needs to take into account country-specific traditions and features of respective education systems. Not all policy options are equally relevant for different countries, different contexts give rise to different priorities. In some countries, policy suggestions may already be in place; in others, they may have less relevance owing to specific social, economic and educational structures and traditions. Policy options rather distil potentially useful ideas and lessons from the experiences of countries that have been searching for ways to improve their education system. As policy options are removed from their wider analytical context, it is strongly advised that readers should refer back to the original OECD source for the fuller picture.