Our work is driven by a desire to ensure that educational programmes and interventions are as effective as possible in leading to real and demonstrable improvements in the lives of learners; whatever their age. Within this we have a particular interest in programmes that can promote social justice and improve outcomes for disadvantaged children and young people.

To achieve this we seek to ensure that the design, delivery and evaluation of programs and interventions are informed by high quality research evidence. This emphasis on being outcomes-focused and evidence-informed underpins our core values and also our areas of expertise.

Under the leadership of Professor Paul Connolly the Centre has achieved considerable growth since it was established in 2005. Over the last few years it has attracted external research income of just under £6 million and now employs 13 full-time staff.

The Centre is currently running more randomised controlled trials in education than any other educational research centre in the UK and Ireland. Moreover, the Centre is seeking to play a leading role internationally in shaping research in this area through its establishment and editorship of the new international peer-reviewed journal, Effective Education.

Through its work, the Centre for Effective Education is also attempting to create an approach to research within this area that is self-reflective and critical theoretically and also open and inclusive in its practice. This can be seen in our extensive collaborative relationships, the testimonials of funding organisations we have worked in partnership with and our goal of attempting to underpin all of our work with an explicitly children’s rights-based framework.

If you would like more information on the work of the Centre then please do not hesitate to contact us.