London, 29 January 2026
The British Council has been formally recognised by UNESCO as a new member of two key global education initiatives: the Global Education Coalition and the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030. This membership demonstrates and reinforces the British Council’s commitment to global education recovery, equity, and innovation, and strengthens its role in shaping international policy and partnerships for inclusive, quality teaching and learning.
The Global Education Coalition was launched by UNESCO in 2020 to mitigate the impact of the educational disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Post pandemic, the Coalition’s priorities have evolved to support Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4), which focuses on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all. The Global Education Coalition is advancing transformation in the education sector, bringing together over 200 partners from governments, multilateral organisations, civil society and the private sector to collaborate and work towards our shared goals. As a Coalition member, the British Council will contribute its extensive experience in teacher development, English language education and inclusive learning to support countries in building resilient, future-ready education systems.
The British Council has also joined the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030, dedicated to addressing the teacher-shortage crisis and advancing the status and support of educators worldwide. The International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030, or Teacher Task Force (TTF), is a global independent alliance which raises awareness, expands knowledge and supports countries working on improving teaching quality and teacher-related issues. The TTF members include national governments, intergovernmental organisations, non-governmental organisations, international development agencies, civil society organisations, private sector organisations and UN agencies.
With over 90 years of experience supporting teacher education and professional development around the world, the British Council will bring valuable knowledge, skills and connections to this task force, particularly in supporting teachers in fragile, multilingual, and/or under-resourced contexts.
Scott McDonald, Chief Executive of the British Council, said:
“Coordinated action for education has never been more urgent. Our participation in these global education initiatives will amplify the voices of teachers and learners worldwide, particularly in communities where opportunities are limited. We look forward to working with our global partners to share best practices, co-create solutions and champion inclusive, high-quality education as a foundation for peace, prosperity, and social cohesion.”
The British Council delivers a wide range of education programmes that strengthen teaching quality, improve learning outcomes, and promote equity and inclusion. From large-scale teacher development initiatives in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, to innovative digital learning platforms and support for English language teachers in conflict-affected regions, the organisation works in partnership with ministries of education, schools, universities and civil society to drive systemic improvements. Its approach is rooted in research, collaboration, and responsiveness to local context, ensuring that solutions are both sustainable and scalable.
The British Council has played a vital role in supporting education globally, working in partnership with over 50 ministries of education in 2025-26 to help build inclusive and future-facing education systems. Hosting the largest global online community of
practice for 3.9 million teachers and teacher educators, we have unique opportunities for engagement with both practitioners and policymakers.
Participation in both the Global Education Coalition and the Teacher Task Force will create new opportunities for the British Council to work in partnership to drive global impact, support ministries of education, school leaders, teachers, and young people with evidence-based programmes, peer learning networks and scalable innovations
that reflect the diverse needs of its beneficiaries. The British Council’s active engagement in these forums will help ensure that learners and educators in all contexts benefit from global collaboration, policy alignment and sustained investment in education. #
About the British Council
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. We do this through our work in arts and culture, education and the English language. We work with people in over 200 countries and territories and are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2024–25 we reached 599 million people.
For any further enquiries contact george.wilson@britishcouncil.org