Mapping the landscape of education research by scholars based in sub-Saharan Africa: insights from the African Education Research Database

This report outlines key features of education research undertaken by scholars based in sub-Saharan Africa, as represented in the African Education Research Database. The database catalogues social science research with implications for education policy and practice in sub-Saharan Africa, published in reputable journals and written by at least one researcher based in the region. In exclusively cataloguing research conducted by researchers based in sub-Saharan Africa, the African Education Research Database is a unique resource for educational development research and policy in the region. Drawing on 1650 English-language articles published in internationally-recognised, peer-reviewed journals between 2010 and 2018, this report offers an analysis of major patterns in the thematic areas of research from the region, as well as funding, collaborations, and institutional and national patterns that characterise the education research landscape. The main findings are organised around five key questions: 1) What are the phases of education and key thematic areas being explored by researchers based in sub-Saharan Africa? 2) In which countries is the research being undertaken? 3) What are the institutional arrangements for the research, including funding, and forms of institutional collaboration within and outside of the region? 4) How does research by scholars based in sub-Saharan Africa align with the education Sustainable Development Goal? 5) What are the key priorities for investing in research by scholars based in sub-Saharan Africa? The report is written for researchers, research funders, policymakers, and practitioners interested in education policy-relevant research in sub-Saharan Africa. The findings aim to inform the direction of new research, patterns in South-South and South-North collaborations and funding, and potential partnerships with researchers based in sub-Saharan Africa to promote policy-relevant and contextually-appropriate research to advance educational development in the region.