To date, there is limited knowledge on policies and practices that work well to enhance articulation and flexibility in higher education. Therefore, in 2018 the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP-UNESCO) launched the research project SDG 4: Planning for Flexible Learning pathways in Higher Education. The project includes a stocktaking exercise of good practices, an international survey of FLP policies and instruments among UNESCO Member States, and eight in-depth country studies on Chile, Finland, India, Jamaica, Malaysia, Morocco, South Africa, and the United Kingdom (UK). This project represents the first truly international research to examine policies and practices facilitating and creating FLP in HE. While the research was conceived and data collected prior to the COVID-19 crisis, it offers useful lessons on how flexibility can make HE systems more resilient and able to withstand future crises.