UNESCO research arm looks to boost teacher training across Global South

UNESCO’s Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP) in New Delhi and the Inter-University Centre for Teacher Education (IUCTE) in Varanasi are partnering to enhance the skills of teachers across the Global South.

In a memorandum of understanding signed in Varanasi on 23 August by the directors of IUCTE and MGIEP, the two institutions will collaborate to jointly implement initiatives aimed at enhancing the skills of teachers and educators, both in India and other countries, through professional development programmes. 

MGIEP and IUCTE Varanasi will co-organize training sessions, workshops, conferences, and events designed to build the capacities of teachers from the Global South. These activities will focus on innovative teaching practices, sustainable development and the integration of digital technologies in education.

In November, two parallel in-person pilot training cohorts, each consisting of about 50 participants, will be hosted at the IUCTE’s facilities in Varanasi. The pilots will focus on MGIEP’s specialized courses for teacher training, offering participants cutting-edge pedagogical tools and methodologies.

Through this partnership, MGIEP aims to strengthen South-South cooperation and support the professional growth of teachers as part of its broader efforts to contribute towards Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) and specifically target 4.7, which focus on education for building peaceful and sustainable societies worldwide.

MGIEP, established with the support of the Indian Government, is a UNESCO research institute that focuses on achieving SDG 4.7. Established in 2014, IUCTE is an autonomous institution of the University Grants Commission (UGC) focusing on teacher education.