Education Research in Conflict and Protracted Crisis

[2021-2022]

Project Overview

The ERICC Research Programme Consortium was a global research and learning partnership that aimed to transform education policy and practice in conflict and protracted crisis around the world by building a global hub for rigorous, context-relevant and actionable evidence base.

ERICC sought to identify the most effective approaches for improving access, quality, and continuity of education to support sustainable and coherent education systems and holistic learning and development of children in conflict and crisis. ERICC aimed to bridge research, practice, and policy with accessible and actionable knowledge — at local, national, regional and global levels — through co-construction of research and collaborative partnerships

One in five children worldwide is affected by armed conflicts and/or protracted crises. While increased attention to education in conflicts and crises has led to the establishment of new funding streams and innovative programmes, the sector suffered from a fundamental weakness that seriously constrained its impact. Without a coherent approach to research what works to improve education in conflict and crisis, the sector could not make the best use of its scarce resources and was unlikely to achieve the educational outcomes that children deserve. The inadequate and deeply fragmented evidence base meant that policy-makers, educators, and sector leaders in search of the most effective policies and interventions were forced to make decisions and investments based on hunches rather than on systematic, rigorous research.
To address the chronic lack of research, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) awarded £15.8 million to the Education Research in Conflict and Protracted Crisis (ERICC) consortium. ERICC was led by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and expert partners included Centre for Lebanese Studies, Common Heritage Foundation, Forcier Consulting, ODI, Osman Consulting, and Queen Rania Foundation. During ERICC's inception period, NYU-TIES provided research leadership, developed the original ERICC conceptual framework and contributed to early research agenda development. ERICC was supported by UK Aid. Countries in focus included Bangladesh, Jordan, Lebanon, Myanmar, Nigeria, South Sudan and Syria
1. Research the most effective approaches to improving education outcomes for children and youth in settings affected by conflict and protracted crises.
2. Provide in-country support with an emphasis on technical guidance, small-scale research, and grants to establish and grow new education programs.
3. Promote research uptake amongst relevant education and other stakeholders throughout the humanitarian sector.
4. Strengthen research capabilities and policy networks for education in emergencies in regions affected by conflict and protracted crisis
At the regional and global levels, we sought to:
1. Create a new and higher standard for education research in the humanitarian sector.
2. Contribute to the growing global body of evidence to increase access, quality, and continuity of education in regions of conflict and protracted crises around the world.
To achieve these ambitious goals, we worked during the inception phase to develop:
A Conceptual framework
We worked with partners to develop a cohesive conceptual framework for education research in conflict- and protracted-crisis settings to inform, organize, and support the generation and curation of a robust evidence base.
Research agendas
We supported the co-construction of research agendas with in-country stakeholders to ensure evidence addresses the priorities and needs of diverse stakeholders.