Learning Minds

We seek to understand how children develop and learn, with an emphasis on the ways in which individual differences affect learning

Children standing in a circle with their hands stacked together in the centre

In line with our Research Agenda, we support talented researchers and practitioners to advance the scientific frontiers of how children learn across time and contexts. Working at the intersection of science, entrepreneurship, and innovation, we aim to build a global, multidisciplinary research community working towards this agenda and inspire conversation and action among researchers, policymakers, and educators on understanding and embracing learning variability in children.

In pursuit of this vision, in 2023, we launched the Learning Variability Network Exchange (LEVANTE), a pioneering global research network aimed at addressing transformative questions and building the first global dataset on childhood learning variability. Additionally, we facilitated the formation of a collaborative multi-university partnership known as Connecting the EdTech Research Ecosystem (CERES), which enhances the customization of digital technologies to meet the educational needs of children. Our longstanding initiatives, including the Jacobs Foundation Research Fellowship Program for early- and mid-career researchers, and the bi-annual Klaus J. Jacobs Awards recognizing outstanding research and policy solutions, continue to push the frontiers of research and practice.