To make progress in education, countries must have a clear vision of their priorities and how to achieve them. Many ministries therefore prepare strategic plans, which reflect this vision and help mobilize people and resources. Planning in most countries is influenced by local history, organization of the state, and available resources, as well as specific challenges such as natural disasters or armed conflict. Regardless of the particular circumstances, educational authorities need to carry out essential tasks such as analysing the education system, formulating relevant policies, then implementing these and monitoring their implementation, often jointly with their national and international partners. Since its inception in 1963, IIEP has been supporting countries in their sector planning efforts, whether through training, research programmes, or technical collaboration. The 'Education Sector Planning Working Papers' series is based on nearly five decades of experience, gathered from numerous country partnerships. Working Paper 1, Strategic Planning: Concept and rationale, is an introductory text aiming to clarify the concept. It offers a succinct look at the key characteristics of strategic planning of education; reviews its various steps, and gives indications on how to prepare plans. These steps are further detailed in subsequent Working Papers. Other Working Papers already available in this series include: Strategic Planning: Organizational arrangements (Working Paper 2) Strategic Planning: Techniques and methods (Working Paper 3)