Psst… Education leaders, classroom champions, policy drivers, and community organizers—this is for you.

At IREX, we have a perspective we invite you to consider:

We are all Systems Changemakers.

Or at least, we are on our way there.

Across schools, ministries, nonprofits, and neighborhoods, changemakers like you are already leading shifts that influence how learning happens. Whether you are reimagining teaching practices, building cross-sector collaborations, or listening more deeply to learners—you are already doing the work. However, as you know from your own experiences, even successful initiatives face hurdles, such as when effective new practices are not aligned with existing evaluation frameworks or broader policy goals. This illustrates the importance of aligning local innovation with larger educational strategies to ensure sustainable impact.

The question is: How can we name this work, sharpen our approach, and scale its impact?

Why This, Why Now?

Education systems around the world are facing mounting pressures:

• 234 million children remain out of school due to crisis, conflict, or displacement (UNICEF, 2025).
• Budgets are tightening, even as expectations for results rise.
• Migration, ecological challenges, and political instability continue to disrupt learning environments.

Yet, amidst these challenges lies significant opportunity.

Globally, there is increasing recognition of the power of locally-led and power-shifting approaches, championed by organizations and funders such as Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors' Shifting Systems Initiative, Co-Impact, and Global Partnership for Education (GPE). Inspired by these initiatives—and many more—we see a critical opportunity for education leaders to align local efforts with broader regional and national priorities, creating stronger, sustainable, and more resilient education systems.

What We Believe

At IREX, we believe systems thinking is not only useful—it is essential.

Systems thinking is more than a framework; it is a mindset that helps us move beyond temporary fixes and tackle deeper structural conditions, including policy alignment, resource flows, and power dynamics that shape how education systems function.

Together, let us strengthen our collective changemaking muscles and build the education systems our communities deserve. We recognize and deeply value the foundational insights shared by global thought leaders from the Center for Universal Education at Brookings and the Stanford Social Innovation Review. Standing on their shoulders, we aim to further this work by translating those ideas into action through accessible, locally grounded resources developed for grassroots changemakers.

Our Inspiration

IREX’s work in Jordan helped spark our education systems change inquiry. Since 2020, IREX has partnered with the Ministry of Education and other education leaders across Pre-K to higher education to strengthen teacher preparation, curriculum design, and learning pathways.

We started by facing some big, complex challenges:

• Teacher preparation programs were not delivering real improvements in student learning.
• Teaching was widely seen as an undesirable career—especially for men—due to low pay and difficult working conditions.
• Training programs were mostly theoretical and did not give future teachers enough real classroom experience.
• There was a major disconnect between what teachers learned before entering the profession and what they needed once they were in schools.

These gaps led to poor returns on investment and left many early-career teachers unprepared.

Together with our partners, we focused on shifting not just individual practices—but the systems behind them.

Through the Preservice Teacher Education (PRESTIJ) program, we supported the creation of a high-quality, competency-based pre-service diploma in four public universities. Over four years:

• More than 7,000 students completed the diploma, with 76% receiving government sponsorship.
• Graduates were recognized through policy reforms that included better pay and professional recognition.
• Over 85% of students reported satisfaction with the diploma, and graduate employment rates topped 75%.

Starting in 2027, this diploma will become a requirement for entering the teaching profession in Jordan.

We are also supporting early grades transformation through the ASAS program. This includes:

• Strengthening teacher training in three universities by integrating content like social-emotional learning, inclusive education, AI ethics, and climate-smart education.
• Expanding school-based practical training so student teachers graduate ready to meet national standards.
• Co-designing in-service teacher development that is data-informed, school-based, and self-paced—aligned with career growth.

Our blended model uses technology, peer learning, and reflection to support teachers through low-cost, high-impact professional development.

Join the Challenge

Systems change is a journey—and progress begins with a mindset.

Over the past year, we reviewed dozens of frameworks, tools, and models from around the world to explore how systems thinking shows up in practice. From national literacy reform in Botswana to community-led assessments in Kenya, the insights were rich and wide-ranging. These findings shaped the Education Systems Changemakers Challenge: a four-phase journey designed to help you apply systems thinking in your own education context.

Whether you are just starting or already deep in the work, we invite you to walk alongside us through reflection, learning, and action:

1. Power Up by discovering what systems change could look like in your education context.
2. Level Up by sharpening your skills to build stakeholder buy-in and identify structural barriers.
3. Act by uncovering leverage points, co-creating action plans, and embedding feedback loops.
4. Evolve by iterating your thinking, celebrating progress, and growing your adaptive muscle.

To support your journey, we created the Education Systems Changemakers Challenge Workbook, which can be used as a personal reflection tool or with your team.

Start by identifying your inspiration:

• What sparked your interest in systems change?
• What made you realize something deeper needed to shift?
  What would a transformed education system feel like in your context?

Then we invite you to:

• Download the workbook – Just 4 phases and 10 steps!
• Follow along on LinkedIn and IREX.org/resources.
• Share your reflections and tag @IREX and #IREXSystemsChangemaker to inspire others and stay accountable.

Stay tuned for Phase 1: Power Up, where we define what systems change really means and debunk a few common myths—because greater clarity can fuel greater action.