With nearly three-quarters of a billion people globally illiterate and 263 million youth out of school, this project, led by Olivier Bréchard at Learning Planet Institute, addresses the critical need for adaptable, equitable educational frameworks that prioritize human flourishing in the Global South. Traditional education models often fall short due to limited resources and outdated structures. This project aims to catalyze a shift in education systems toward flourishing, rather than narrowly-defined metrics like academic achievement.

To achieve this, the project will enhance cooperation among regional actors to stimulate educational innovation, facilitate knowledge exchange, and increase the capacity of Learning Ecosystems (LE) to implement flourishing-focused educational practices. The LE approach draws on principles of biodiversity and community resilience. By nurturing localized, community-driven frameworks, the team believes sustainable improvements in children’s learning environments can be achieved, especially in adverse conditions.

Building on previous work with eleven organizational partners representing LEs in Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia, this funding will support a series of co-design activities to establish three regional Learning Ecosystem Innovation Hubs in the Global South. It will also strengthen and secure three key areas: evaluation framework research; strategic communications; and honoraria to support LE leaders’ local activities and their contributions to developing an adaptable, field-tested scale-up model.

A core component of the project is the development of an evaluation framework to assess the effectiveness of LE practices. This includes defining measurable indicators such as student engagement, social-emotional learning outcomes, and community involvement; collecting both qualitative and quantitative data from LE participants and stakeholders; synthesizing insights for continuous improvement; and communicating findings to participating LEs to share best practices for real-time adaptability within local contexts.

The project's efforts aim to support scalable, context-sensitive educational models that empower local communities and foster long-term human flourishing.