Realising the triple nexus approach: engaging teachers and other stakeholders in education and emergencies research

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session

Proposal

The humanitarian-development-peace nexus (HDP nexus, or triple nexus) was first conceptualised by the UN as the ‘New Way of Working’ at the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit and was further elaborated by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development in 2019 (UNDP, n.d.). The nexus framework prioritises interconnectedness; it is predicated on the idea that peace, development and the fulfillment of humanitarian needs cannot be achieved without one another. A key component of the HDP nexus is collective action and strong coordination between multiple stakeholders, including governments, NGOs, and education practitioners (EPRS, 2025).

This panel will explore how research projects can be designed and delivered to incorporate this core dimension of the triple-nexus approach. Our presentations draw from diverse crisis-affected settings, including Chad, Kenya, Mali, Pakistan, South Sudan, Ukraine, Uganda, and Zambia, and focus on how stakeholders at different levels can be engaged in education in emergencies research in the service of the HDP nexus approach. The panel will include reflections from research project staff who have engaged successfully with those driving learning continuity in emergencies, who have established crucial links between development and humanitarian work by contextualising previous research initiatives for crisis and displacement contexts, and who have partnered with ministries and others to shape education programming that will both endure crises and ensure long-term educational access and quality for learners. In particular, it addresses a gap identified by Baroncello (2024), who highlights that “the agency of local communities remains limited and major impediments hinder the inclusion of the peace dimension”. Panelists will discuss what has worked, what hasn't, and how others conducting education in emergencies research can learn and benefit from the tripe-nexus approach to ensure that their research has a meaningful impact on those experiencing crisis.

The first presentation will explore how one project focusing on refugee teacher inclusion and operating in Chad, Uganda and Zambia is engaging with stakeholders at multiple levels. As the primary focus, the project trains refugee teachers as co-researchers (‘peer researchers’) and equips them with the tools to simultaneously conduct research on refugee teacher inclusion within their communities, enhance their teaching practice using research approaches, and amplify the voices of those at the forefront of educational continuity in displacement settings. Crucially, it fosters a nexus approach by using mechanisms such as national, regional and global-level advisory groups to bring these peer researchers into direct contact with other education actors and decision-makers including ministry representatives, implementers from NGOs and UN agency staff.

The second presentation also focuses on teachers, this time exploring how they can be supported in crisis settings through a nexus-based approach that includes mentoring, coaching and networking and brings together diverse education actors at different levels. The model comprises four key components: cluster teacher meetings; online networking groups with peers and mentors; school-based communities of practice; and lesson observation and coaching support from education officials. This model relies on strong collaboration with the national education actors and structures that oversee education delivery and teacher quality, with the goal to not only strengthen individual teacher capacity but to generate broader support within education systems to prioritise teachers and to champion quality and inclusive teaching and learning in crises and beyond.

The third presentation brings education technology to the discussion alongside a focus on teachers, exploring how EdTech, when grounded in inclusion and local ownership, can strengthen triple-nexus programming, thus driving forward the agenda of education and peace. The presentation highlights how pre-war digital investments enabled the Ukrainian Ministry of Education to coordinate a nationally-trusted digital response after the 2022 invasion - including the use of blended learning to train teachers in psychosocial support skills - sustaining learning for millions. It also suggests how tools like mobile apps, WhatsApp, and digital training could help teachers manage learning loss, provide remedial education, and reduce their administrative burden in contexts such as the Pakistan floods. Finally, global research conducted by [organisation] uses participatory methodologies to investigate how governments can lead equitable, multi-modal blended learning in crises, including how best to support teachers’ professional development, pedagogical roles, and support mechanisms in crisis contexts.

Sub Unit

• General Pool

Organizer

• Katrina Barnes, Jigsaw

Chair

• Laurence UWERA, IDRC

Individual Presentations

• Refugee teachers as co-researchers: a multi-stakeholder approach to knowledge mobilisation - Katrina Barnes, Jigsaw

• Teacher mentoring, coaching and networking: A scalable and sustainable approach to advancing teacher effectiveness in crisis contexts and beyond - Lucy R Philpott, World University Service of Canada

• EdTech and the Triple Nexus: Governments and local actors’ role in education in conflict and crisis - Kate Radford, EdTech Hub; Haani Mazari; Amal Hayat