The prestigious Klaus J. Jacobs Research Prize is now open for nominations & applications!
We work to give every child the evidence-based education they need to thrive
What we do
How we work
How we learn
What we do
How we work
How we learn
What we do
Our work is dedicated to giving every child a quality education. We believe this can only be achieved if education policy and practice are supported by evidence of what works best for children.
We therefore invest in the world’s premier research to discover how children learn, promote the use of evidence in teaching and learning, and support countries to shape and implement education policies based on evidence.
How we work
Our support goes beyond simply making funding available. We are an active and engaged funder and seek to apply our knowledge and competences in all our work.
We work with leading researchers, school practitioners, EdTech companies, investors, and education policymakers to catalyze new research, financing mechanisms, and policy collaborations that would not otherwise be possible.
How we learn
Our learning and evaluation approach is designed to empower us to make better decisions and work more effectively so that more children can experience quality education.
We want to learn rapidly and iteratively so we can provide support in areas that show the greatest promise for long-lasting, systemic impact. We share our learning openly, to enable its widest possible application and to achieve long-lasting impact for education systems around the world.
Klaus J. Jacobs Research Prize
News and insights
News
25 November 2024
Ground-breaking researchers join Jacobs Foundation Research Fellowship
The latest cohort of Jacobs Foundation Research Fellows has been announced with researchers representing global excellence joining from countries around the globe—from Chile to Germany. The fellows will be exploring key topics such as mental health and adolescent development, literacy skills among learners from linguistically diverse communities, and how household environments affect children’s memory. Read […]
News
18 November 2024
Prestigious prizes awarded to Colombian, Brazilian, and Pan-African education initiatives
At the Jacobs Foundation, we are committed to the funding, development, and application of best practices for learners at the school level. The winners of the 2024 Best Practice Prizes were awarded in a ceremony held in Zurich, Switzerland, on Friday, November 15, 2024. The ceremony brought together the ten finalists along with education partners […]
Op-Eds
12 November 2024
Multilateral collaboration needs a reboot to meet our shared goals
In the aftermath of the Summit of the Future, the world is falling significantly behind in meeting the 2030 deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with just 17% of the targets on course. International actors must now find ways to tap into the collective expertise of all those invested in achieving these development objectives. […]
Research Agenda
We know that children vary day-to-day in their skills and behaviors, that they differ from their peers, and learn in different environments with different tools and technology. It’s what we call learning variability.
However, research has not yet fully established the science of this variability, or how best to address it in different educational settings. By increasing our understanding of variability, we can better support policymakers and educators, helping them base decisions on evidence that will tailor learning to individual children and improve learning outcomes for every child.
Latest from BOLD
BOLD is a multimedia platform that explores the latest scientific insights into how children and young people develop and learn.
Digital Museum of Learning
Our new digital museum offers interactive content and playful quizzes for kids of all ages. Become a partner or dive into fun, bite-sized information and learning resources to boost your classroom experience.
Partner with us
We work with a network of partners to seek innovative ways to promote children’s learning and development.
Reports and studies
Annual Report 2023
2023 was the year that we leaned into learning. In the face of global crises and new technological frontiers, we redoubled our efforts to provide every child with a quality education based on the best scientific knowledge and evidence.
Policy labs and evidence use in education
The Jacobs Foundation, alongside On Think Tanks (OTT), have released an evidence review on the efficacy of Education Evidence Labs (EdLabs).
