Lavinia Jacobs, the Chair of our Board of Trustees, recently sat down with Handelszeitung to discuss the Foundation’s work, and the ambition behind our Strategy 2030.

Often, there is a lack of evidence in education policy and practice. Since our founding by entrepreneur Klaus J. Jacobs in 1989, we have worked to tackle this challenge from various angles. In the piece, Lavinia spoke about our commitment to interdisciplinary research excellence and our efforts to support evidence-based teaching and learning practices globally.

Read the interview here.

The post Lavinia Jacobs: giving is not enough appeared first on Jacobs Foundation.

The Jacobs Foundation, alongside On Think Tanks (OTT), has today released an evidence review on the efficacy of Education Evidence Labs (EdLabs).

In collaboration with EdLabs across our key geographies of Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Switzerland, and Colombia, the Jacobs Foundation is working to enhance evidence use in education policy and practice. Despite the prevalence of policy labs in various sectors, there remains a notable absence of systematic evidence regarding their effectiveness. Seeking to fill this critical gap, the Jacobs Foundation and OTT have produced this review and its accompanying learning brief, found here.

This review delves into three burgeoning areas of literature and practice: evidence-informed policy, evidence use in education, and the expanding landscape of policy labs. Offering an initial analysis of key issues, lessons, and gaps, the review concludes with practical recommendations for advancing the collective efforts to institutionalize evidence use in education.

The findings of the review were informed by the Global Convening on Ed Labs, hosted by Jacobs Foundation in partnership with the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO), alongside support from OTT. Held in October 2023, the event brought together stakeholders from Ministries of Education, EdLab implementing units, research institutions, multilateral agencies, and global funders.

The post New report on the efficacy of EdLabs released appeared first on Jacobs Foundation.

The World Bank has cited our Child Learning and Education Facility (CLEF) program in Côte d’Ivoire as a best-practice example of a public-private partnership.

This major recognition showcases the program as a potential blueprint for other countries.  The CLEF program is a central part of our efforts to work with governments to ensure that evidence is at the heart of education policy and practice.

Since its inception in 2021, CLEF has been a collaborative effort. Spearheaded by the Ivorian government, it has brought together stakeholders from the government, philanthropic sector, and the cocoa industry in a coalition to coordinate action around the common goal of improving quality education and preventing child labor in cocoa growing regions of Côte d’Ivoire.

The World Bank says that the coalition “has mobilized a substantial amount of industry finance” using an innovative funding mechanism to support education. The program focuses on building school infrastructure, training teachers in effective pedagogical practices, and engaging parents in their children’s learning. Investment from CLEF has contributed to an increase in the percentage of students completing primary school in Côte d’Ivoire to 78.4 percent, which is above the average for Sub-Saharan Africa. However, the case study acknowledges that significant challenges remain in improving learning outcomes. 

TPI Global has also commended CLEF for its collaborative approach.

CLEF was also cited in a recent report by The Partnership Initiative (TPI) exploring the role of Public-Private-Philanthropy Partnerships (PPPP) in improving education. The report commended the Jacobs Foundation for using its convening power to bring stakeholders together, and, with the government in the driving seat, says that the program “is an archetype for the most collaborative way of working.”

The post CLEF receives major recognition from World Bank appeared first on Jacobs Foundation.

At the United Nations Global Refugee Forum this week in Geneva, Switzerland, the Jacobs Foundation pledged to support Colombia’s efforts to increase quality education for refugee and host community children. This will be accomplished through our support for Colombia Evidencia Potencial en Educacion, a multistakeholder initiative that aims to strengthen evidence in education policy and practice.

“At the Jacobs Foundation we believe that education, especially quality education that is based in evidence, is one of the most powerful means we have to support the transition of refugees from the status of victims to fully integrated, contributing members of society.”

Our co-CEO Fabio Segura attended the side event ‘Securing Sustainable Futures,’ where he announced 50 million CHF in funding to focus on the effective development of foundational skills such as literacy, numeracy, and socioemotional learning in Colombia. Through this Global Compact Refugee Pledge, we seek to create multi-stakeholder partnerships with the government of Colombia to ensure inclusive education at national, territorial, and local levels, including some of the most at-risk and least advantaged populations that have large numbers of displaced adults and children.

Through our support of Colombia Evidencia Potencial en Educacion, we will focus on interventions that help both teachers and parental training, ensuring that there is adequate training to support the most at-risk children. This support has the potential to impact almost 2 million children aged 3 to 12, of which 11% are displaced and/or affected by conflict. It will also aim to empower 132,000 teachers.

The post Increasing quality education for refugee and host community children in Colombia appeared first on Jacobs Foundation.

The Digital Museum of Learning, an initiative of the Jacobs Foundation, has won gold in the education category at the British Interactive Media Association (BIMA) Awards, the United Kingdom’s most prestigious digital and tech awards.

The Digital Museum of Learning is part of the Jacobs Foundation’s longstanding commitment to helping all children to thrive by supporting evidence driven EdTech innovations that provide personalized learning experiences. Building on collaborations with leading museums and experts, the museum seeks to bring the history and future of education to life in a unique digital space. The museum’s online exhibitions feature digitized artworks and artifacts from around the world in interactive stories that are designed to spark curiosity in learners of all ages. 

The award recognizes the museum’s innovative platform and is a strong endorsement following its successful launch earlier this year. BIMA praised the early impact of the platform, saying that it has “fostered a fast-growing community of teachers, schools, museums, and children.” 

The post Digital Museum of Learning wins prestigious BIMA award appeared first on Jacobs Foundation.

The Jacobs Foundation is pleased to announce the 2024 call for applications for its Research Fellowship Program.

The Jacobs Foundation Research Fellowship Program is a globally competitive fellowship program for early and mid-career researchers whose work is dedicated to improving the learning and development of children and youth worldwide. The relevant disciplines include, but are not limited to, education sciences, psychology, economics, sociology, behavioral science, computer science, pedagogy, linguistics, neurosciences, and science of learning.

Particularly encouraged to apply are scholars who seek to combine multiple levels of analysis and engage in interdisciplinary work. A special focus lies on work to understand and embrace variability in learning; promote the generation, transfer, and practical application of evidence on human learning and development or increase the capacity to scale up effective education policies and practices.

The Jacobs Foundation is especially interested in the following questions:

• How do variations in individuals and contextual factors influence learning, development and learning outcomes?
• How can we design for learner variability at scale to enable all children to reach their potential as learners and in life?
• How can we produce interventions that reduce growing inequalities in children’s learning and overcome disparities in the impacts of digital technologies?
• How can we address the role of data to help learners and teachers make informed decisions about their learning and teaching?
• What school-level learning approaches, environments, and experiences are effective in improving learning outcomes in heterogeneous student groups?

Fellowships are awarded to highly talented and innovative early and mid-career researchers who have received their PhD within the past 10 years. Funding from Jacobs Foundation Research Fellowships is awarded directly to the fellow’s institution and may be used by the fellow over a three-year period to cover a portion of the fellow’s salary and for any purpose in support of the fellow’s research, such as assistants’ salaries, equipment, technical assistance, professional travel, or trainee support.

The ideal fellow does not only have a great research idea but also a significant potential as a researcher to contribute as part of interdisciplinary teams within and beyond the network of the Jacobs Foundation. In addition to providing fellows with independent and competitive funding, the program offers a wide range of non-financial benefits.

Please visit the application site for further information and to apply.

The post 2024 Call for Applications: Jacobs Foundation Research Fellowship Program appeared first on Jacobs Foundation.

At the Jacobs Foundation, our unwavering mission to invest in the future of young people globally has been the guiding force behind our efforts since 1989. We approach this mission with deep commitment, transparency, and a profound sense of pride in our role as a recognized Swiss charitable foundation.

Recent inquiries raised by a Swiss media outlet regarding our non-profit status and associated tax exemption have prompted us to address these misleading allegations directly. Our commitment to transparency is reflected in the open reporting of our annual distribution of up to 50 million Swiss francs in grants, detailed comprehensively in our annual reports. We disburse the maximum liquidity received, and our governance and financial accounts undergo rigorous external audits. The results of these audits are submitted annually to the Swiss Foundation Supervisory Authority (ESA), ensuring accountability and compliance with all relevant legislation. 

Since our establishment in 1989, the Jacobs Foundation has cumulatively invested 840 million francs in projects supporting the learning and development of children and adolescents. This substantial figure underscores our dedication to making a positive impact in Switzerland and on a global scale. 

Our most recent strategy, Strategy 2030, continues our work on this path with a focus on ensuring education policies and practices are grounded in solid scientific evidence. Our commitment to research excellence is part of a long-standing legacy which we continue to embody and build upon.

In the spirit of openness and accountability, we invite you to explore the details of our endeavors in our annual reports and on our new website. We stand firm in our dedication to the highest standards of transparency and integrity as we strive to create a lasting positive impact on the lives of children worldwide.

Transparenz und Engagement der Jacobs Foundation

Die Jacobs Foundation investiert seit 1989 in die Zukunft junger Menschen weltweit. Sie tut dies mit vollem Engagement, nach bestem Wissen und Gewissen und in voller Transparenz. Wir sind stolz, als gemeinnützige Schweizer Stiftung anerkannt zu sein.

Ein kürzlich erschienener Beitrag einer Schweizer Zeitschrift bezweifelt unsere Gemeinnützigkeit und die damit einhergehende Steuerbefreiung.  Diesen Vorwurf weisen wir in aller Deutlichkeit als haltlos und falsch zurück. Die Jacobs Foundation zahlt pro Jahr bis zu 50 Millionen Franken Fördermittel aus. Unsere Zahlen werden stets transparent in unseren Jahresberichten ausgewiesen. Damit schüttet die Stiftung die ihr zugeführte Liquidität maximal aus. Selbstverständlich werden unsere Verwaltungsstrukturen und Buchhaltung jedes Jahr von externen Wirtschaftsprüfern geprüft und der eidgenössischen Stiftungsaufsicht ESA vorgelegt, um die Rechenschaftspflicht und die Einhaltung aller Rechtsvorschriften zu gewährleisten.

Seit Gründung der Jacobs Foundation im Jahr 1989 hat die Stiftung kumuliert über 840 Millionen Franken für Projekte zur Förderung von Kindern und Jugendlichen ausgegeben. Diese Zahlen unterstreichen unser Engagement für eine positive Wirkung in der Schweiz und weltweit. 

Unsere aktuelle Strategie 2030 setzt diesen Weg fort, indem sie hilft Bildungspolitik und -praxis auf solide wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse aufzubauen. Wir sind überzeugt, dass Spitzenforschung die Grundlage für praktische Anwendungen im Bereich Bildung und Lernen sein sollte. 

Im Sinne der Offenheit und Rechenschaftspflicht laden wir Sie ein, die Einzelheiten unserer Aktivitäten in unseren Jahresberichten und auf unserer neuen Website zu erkunden. Wir sind fest entschlossen, die höchsten Standards in Bezug auf Transparenz und Integrität einzuhalten. Damit wir das Leben von Kindern weltweit nachhaltig positiv beeinflussen können.

The post Our Commitment to Charitable Impact and Transparency appeared first on Jacobs Foundation.

The game was made possible through an initiative of the Johann Jacobs Museum and by the Jacobs Foundation as part of its commitment to supporting evidence driven EdTech innovations that support children’s individual learning journeys. 

Uiivit is a powerful learning tool that brings history lessons to life by inviting students at secondary levels I and II on a journey of discovery around the topic of globalization. The prestigious biennial Worlddidac Award is the highest honor in the education industry worldwide and recognizes innovation, quality, and the practical application of teaching materials. The assessment board consists of teachers and international experts in the education field and their evaluation focuses primarily on educational and didactic aspects.

The online learning game uses three historical objects to tell the story of global trade routes: a gag mask, an opium pipe, and a porcelain figurine. Together with one of these mysterious objects, players embark on a journey through time in the game. In playful tasks, they learn more about transatlantic trade in colonial times, the British Empire, and relations between China and the West. Teachers can find classroom materials and further information on how to play the game with a class on the page Teaching. The Worlddidac Award 2023 is the second major prize that uiivit has received – in 2021, uiivit also won the DigAmus Award in the category Apps & Games. Try out uiivit today!

Transparenz Preisgekröntes Lernspiel! uiivit erhält den Worlddidac Award 2023 Engagement der Jacobs Foundation

Das interaktive Lernspiel uiivit, das von der Jacobs Foundation ermöglicht wurde, hat am 21. November 2023 an der Bildungsmesse Swissdidac in Bern den Worlddidac Award 2023 erhalten. Wir sind stolz auf diese wichtige Auszeichnung!

Als spielerisches Lernangebot für den Geschichtsunterricht lädt uiivit Schülerinnen und Schüler der Sekundarstufen I und II auf Entdeckungsreise rund um das Thema Globalisierung ein. Die Jury der Worlddidac Foundation bewertet uiivit als eine besonders lobenswerte pädagogische Lösung, die für den Einsatz in Schulen sehr zu empfehlen ist. Der angesehene Worlddidac Award, der alle zwei Jahre verliehen wird, ist die höchste Auszeichnung für Innovation, Qualität und praktische Anwendung von Lehrmaterialien in der Bildungsbranche weltweit.

Das Online-Lernspiel uiivit macht spannende Verflechtungen der Weltgeschichte sichtbar. Drei historische Gegenstände erzählen die Geschichte globaler Handelswege und bilden den Ausgangspunkt für die Entdeckungsreise im Spiel: eine Knebelmaske, eine Opiumpfeife und eine Porzellanfigur. Im Spiel begeben sich die Spielerinnen und Spieler zusammen mit einem dieser mysteriösen Objekte auf eine Zeitreise. In spielerischen Aufgaben lernen sie mehr über den transatlantischen Handel zu Kolonialzeiten, das British Empire oder über die Beziehungen zwischen China und dem Westen. Lehrpersonen erhalten auf der Seite Unterricht didaktische Begleitmaterialien und weitere Informationen, wie das Spiel mit einer Klasse durchgeführt werden kann. Der Worlddidac Award 2023 ist bereits der zweite wichtige Preis, mit dem uiivit ausgezeichnet wurde. 2021 erhielt uiivit den DigAmus Award in der Kategorie Apps & Games.Probiere uiivit am besten gleich mal aus!

The post Award-winning learning game Uiivit receives the Worlddidac Award 2023 appeared first on Jacobs Foundation.

We invite applications for our 2024 Klaus J. Jacobs Best Practice Prizes, honoring outstanding achievement from institutions or individuals in implementing evidence-based solutions for child learning and education.

We are looking for your application!

Three Best Practice Prizes, each endowed with CHF 200,000, will be awarded in November 2024.

Applications should align with the Foundation’s strategy and will be assessed along the following criteria. 

To submit your initial application, please click here and complete the online form

Submission due date is 16 February 2024, 23.00 CET.

The post Call for Applications – 2024 Klaus J. Jacobs Best Practice Prizes appeared first on Jacobs Foundation.

2023 Klaus J. Jacobs Research Prize Recipient Professor Janet M. Currie will be celebrated at the Jacobs Center Symposium in Zurich on 17 November.

Currie, Princeton University’s Henry Putnam Professor of Economics and Public Affairs, is best known for her foundational work on the influence of context such as policy decisions, environment, or health systems on child development. Her decades of research have demonstrated how poverty and government anti-poverty policies as well as health systems and the environment can affect the lifelong health and well-being of children.

The Klaus J. Jacobs Research Prize is a 1 million Swiss Franc endowment that acknowledges exceptional academics whose contributions are considered cornerstones for advancement in our understanding of how children learn. The Prize was established in 2009 to honour our founder, Klaus J. Jacobs, and his commitment to promoting evidence-based research in the field of learning and development.

The prize will be presented at the awards ceremony, which will take place at the University of Zurich on 17 November 2023. On the same day, the symposium “Insights on the manyfold impacts of children’s context on their development” will also take place at the University of Zurich, to celebrate her scientific contributions to the field. The symposium is organized jointly by the Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development and the Jacobs Foundation. To register, please email symposium@jacobsfoundation.org.

Speaking about her work, our Co-CEO Simon Sommer said: “Professor Currie’s pioneering use of administrative data and natural experiments has helped advance the field of child development in unprecedented ways. Her groundbreaking work has demonstrated the crucial impact of different structural, social, and environmental contextual elements on children’s educational outcomes, physical, and psychological well-being”.

You can learn more about Professor Currie’s work here.

The post Our commitment to excellence in research appeared first on Jacobs Foundation.