SEG contributes to developing smart and strategic state capacity for reform and problem solving as a way of promoting effective, efficient and equitable education. To this end, the project comprises a dedicated work strand on researching innovative approaches to governance challenges.

Published within the OECD Education Working paper series, SEG research discusses approaches on the challenges and opportunities for educational policy in multi-level governance structures and complex environments.

To see all previous publications across SEG’s three work strands, click here.

Current Research

Governing Education Networks: a review of the literature

Faced with complexity, networks of collaborative partners – such as between schools, and schools with other educational services providers – have become an indispensable piece of the education governance landscape. Such networks promise to deliver many benefits, but are not without their sceptics, who point to a host of practical challenges. However, the popularity of network adoption in education does not yet match the empirical evidence evaluating their effectiveness.

This interdisciplinary review consolidates conceptual and empirical literature, with a view to identifying insights for governing networks in education.

Means, ends and meaning in accountability for strategic education governance

Guided by an analytical lens accommodating the complexity of governance, this review of interdisciplinary literature looks into the means and ends of accountability arrangements and into what makes accountability meaningful for participants. In particular, the review draws upon findings from behavioural sciences, identifying what makes and breaks successful accountability relationships.

The working paper lays the groundwork for the Accountability module of the Strategic Education Governance (SEG) Policy Toolkit that helps education systems systematically improve their accountability arrangements.