Global Education Forum

The Global Education Forum (GEF) was established as a core part of the Global Education Cooperation Mechanism. It brings together high-level leaders from key donor countries and multilateral institutions supporting the acceleration towards SDG4. 

Contributing to and supporting the work of the SDG4 High-Level Steering Committee (HLSC), the GEF aims to strengthen international support and advocacy for increased and more effective investment in global education.

The members of the GEF first convened in September 2019. The GEF has two high-level meetings a year.

The GEF is co-chaired by Jutta Urpilainen, European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Audrey Azoulay, Director General of UNESCO (represented by Assistant Director General Stefania Giannini), Graça Machel, global women and children’s rights advocate and former Minister of Education of Mozambique, and Gordon Brown, UN Special Envoy for Global Education.

The agenda of the GEF is determined by the co-chairs and is informed by the priorities of the HLSC. The work of the GEF is supported by a Secretariat hosted by Education Development Center (EDC), which coordinates with the HLSC Inter-Agency Secretariat. The Secretariat helps lead, develop, and coordinate the GEF’s programme of work.

To learn more about the GEF, please email the GEF Secretariat at gefsecretariat@edc.org