International organizations’ strategic use of the Sustainable Development Goals for the global governance of education

Hakemuksen tiivistelmä

The study investigates how intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), namely the EU, OECD and UNESCO, use the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to construct crisis narratives in education. It aims to understand how these narratives legitimize IGOs’ existence, promote ideologically aligned education policies, and introduce new actors into education development. This study employs a multidisciplinary approach, combining theories from comparative and international education, organizational studies, and policy studies. It also uses qualitative content analysis, thematic analysis, and social network analysis to explore how IGOs leverage the SDGs to frame education crises and legitimize their agendas. Three research questions guide the study: - How do the EU, UNESCO, and OECD integrate SDGs into their education crisis narratives to foster self-legitimacy? - How do these organizations promote policy solutions reflecting their ideological orientations? - What new actors are enabled by these organizations, and how is their role represented? The findings will challenge assumptions about IGOs’ roles and influence, revealing the power dynamics and strategies used to shape global education governance. In addition, the study can empower Finnish policymakers to develop more effective, globally-informed development policies, enhancing Finland’s educational leadership and international collaboration. The research will be conducted at Tampere University, with a semester in a visiting collaboration at King’s College London. The study spans four years, with milestones including two research articles, a book, and a series of webinars to disseminate findings and boost global discussions on education governance.