Introduction
Founded in 1902 the IOE is a world class research and teaching institution with a commitment to social justice. In the Research Assessment Exercise of 2008 it was ranked first in the league table of education research. Our research and teaching partnerships with other institutions extend to every continent.

Our academics have considerable experience of working internationally with educational institutions, national and regional governments and bilateral and international agencies such as DFID, SIDA, DANIDA, World Bank, UNESCO, UNICEF, WHO, UNAIDS.

Research
Much of our development research is undertaken in the Department of Education and International Development (EID).

The department concentrates on education in developing countries and education policy. Recent research in the field includes:

• Education for All and Multigrade Teaching (Nepal, Vietnam, Peru and Sri Lanka)
• Globalisation and Education (East Asia, China, India Kenya and Sri Lanka)
• Gender, Education and Global Poverty Reduction 
• Open and Flexible Learning and Education Access in high HIV prevalence SADC countries
• Teacher Effectiveness in India. 

EID is an active partner in the DFID-funded Consortia for Research on "Educational Access, Transitions and Equity" (CREATE) and "Educational Outcomes and Poverty" (RECOUP) with member institutions located in Ghana, South Africa, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.

The IOE’s Development Education Research Centre (DERC) was established in 2006 with funding from DFID to act as the hub for knowledge generation, new thinking and quality output on development education. Development education is an approach to learning about global and development issues by recognising the importance of linking people's lives throughout the world. It is also based on an understanding of the importance of critical thinking, the need to challenge stereotypes and to give people the skills and confidence to support change towards a more just and sustainable word. DERC undertakes a range of projects which evaluate and improve development awareness in education systems and manages the International Journal of Development Education and Global Learning.

The Thomas Coram Unit also undertakes research related to children and young people in and outside their families, including projects on education and sexual health in the context of HIV AIDS and other social challenges in developing countries

Teaching
Our postgraduate student population includes 1,000 international students from more than 80 countries. The majority of international students are from low and middle income countries. Higher degrees in all fields of education, many offered in mixed mode or at a distance, lead to Master’s and Doctoral awards. Four MA degrees are offered in International Development, with specialisms in educational planning and economics, EFA, health promotion and gender.

Highlighted initiative
The London Knowledge Lab is an interdisciplinary collaboration between IOE and Birkbeck College. It brings together computer and social scientists from a broad range of fields to build systems forging new ways to learn. It has specific research on information and communication technologies for development (ICT4D) including the use of computers and mobile phones in rural African communities.

Participation in LIDC
The DERC is leading a three-year project in partnership with LIDC to teach students from the Royal Veterinary College, The School of Pharmacy and the Medical School of University College London about the social, economic and cultural context of the developing world. Their experiences and engagement with campaigns against global poverty will also be surveyed annually as part of the £232,000 grant funded by DFID through its Development Awareness Fund. IOE staff also spoke about education and gender at LIDC’s conference No Goals at Half-time: What Next for the Millennium Development Goals?, have also taken part in a wide range of cross-College workshops and are active members of the MDG post 2015 agenda writing project.