IIEP Summer School for female planners

21 August 2017

Thirty-two women from 23 countries arrived at IIEP today to start the residential phase of the 2017 Summer School for female planners.

The course, ‘Policy, Planning, and Leadership for Sustainable Educational Development’ aims to strengthen the planning capacities of female planners, enabling them to better identify information needs and make policy suggestions in view of monitoring progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

The course started on 7 August with a two week online phase. The participants will now spend one week at the IIEP headquarters in Paris. 

Women’s participation in the formulation of policies, plans, programmes, and projects related to the education-related fourth SDG (SDG 4) is a top priority for IIEP and UNESCO. However, evidence shows that while the teaching profession is highly feminized, the highest-ranking positions in educational leadership and management continue to be held by men.

IIEP is committed to gender equality in educational decision-making, planning, and management. To make this possible, women must be given greater opportunities to acquire leadership skills and technical knowledge. With a programme tailored to help the participants understand, obtain, and practice management skills, it is hoped that this year’s Summer School will help them to realize their full potential as leaders. 

Upon completion of the Summer School, participants should be able to:

  • Identify information needs based on the various targets and indicators of SDG 4;
  • Analyse and use information to make policy suggestions and plan strategies to achieve SDG 4; 
  • Self-evaluate and develop their leadership skills and knowledge to contribute directly to Target 5.5 of SDG 5.


Watch our webinar

Watch our webinar: 'Institutional Capacity and Leadership for Gender-Responsive Education' with Nora Fyles, Head of the United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative Secretariat (UNGEI).


One of the important analyses called upon for an Education Sector Plan (ESP) is the assessment of the institutional capacity. What do we mean by institutional capacity? What are some key data that describe the institutional capacity? In what ways can we contribute to the overall institutional capacity? In the context of IIEP Summer School 2017 for Female Planners: “Policy, Planning and Leadership”, Nora Fyles, Head of the Secretariat, United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI), took participants through the process of institutional capacity assessment within the ESP.