Research and Innovation
Evaluating and designing systems that drive national and institutional research capacity. We provide specialized expertise in the strategic governance of research activities, the evaluation of international research centers, and the development of scientific and technological capacities.
Our Role
Learning Avenue supports governments, higher education institutions, research agencies, international organizations, and donors in strengthening research governance, evaluation systems, and innovation ecosystems. Our work focuses on the design, evaluation, and modernization of research and innovation policies, institutional frameworks, and quality assurance mechanisms aligned with international standards and evolving scientific priorities. We provide technical assistance for the development of research evaluation agencies, strategic governance frameworks, institutional performance systems, and partnerships linking research, higher education, innovation, and socio-economic development. Our expertise also includes the evaluation of international research centres, support for research internationalization and scientific cooperation, innovation and entrepreneurship strategies within universities, and the development of digital and technological capacities.
Learning Avenue works extensively in contexts where research systems are undergoing transformation or seeking stronger integration into regional and global research ecosystems, notably across Africa, Europe, the Mediterranean, and Asia.
OUR PROJECTS
China, with global outreach
INRULED – International Rural Education and Research Centre
Evaluation of the UNESCO International Centre INRULED – International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education (UNESCO Category II Centre)
The Centre is dedicated to research and training on rural education and the transformation of rural communities through education, with a strong focus on technical and vocational education and training, adult education, and lifelong learning in rural areas. Its main activities include conducting applied research on rural education and skills development, developing and delivering training programmes and innovative models for TVET and adult learning, and supporting digital and sustainable development initiatives that link education, local economies, and rural community transformation.
Learning Avenue's Role
Learning Avenue conducted the external evaluation of INRULED, assessing its research and training mandate, governance and partnership model, contribution to TVET, adult education and lifelong learning, and its role in advancing digital and sustainable development in rural education systems.
Donors / Implementation Partners
UNESCO; Beijing Normal University (host of INRULED); national and international research and education partners
Bangladesh; Colombia; Ivory Coast; Egypt; Ethiopia; Georgia; Ghana; Jamaica; Malaysia; Nigeria; Paraguay; Peru; Philippines; Sri Lanka; Thailand; Tunisia; Ukraine; Vietnam
Ethics of Artificial Intelligence – Global UNESCO Project
Mid-term Evaluation of the UNESCO project “Supporting Member States in the Implementation of the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence through Innovative Tools”
The project aimed to promote responsible, inclusive, and transparent use of artificial intelligence by developing innovative tools, strengthening institutional and technical capacities, and supporting the design of policies and practices aligned with ethical principles in participating countries. Main activities included providing capacity-building and advisory support to public authorities and institutions on AI governance and fostering international cooperation and knowledge exchange so that AI-supported innovation served the common good, including in education-related sectors.
Learning Avenue's Role
Learning Avenue conducted the mid-term evaluation, analysing how the project’s tools, capacity-building activities, and governance support mechanisms contributed to ethical AI use, research and innovation ecosystems, and sectoral policies, including those linked to education and human rights.
Donors / Implementation Partners
UNESCO; national governments and stakeholder institutions in 18 participating countries
Comoros
Comoros Research, Innovation and Technologies – FSPI-CRIT
FSPI-CRIT 2023–2025 – Comoros Research, Innovation and Technologies
The project aimed to strengthen national capacities in scientific and technological fields, support Comorian institutions in structuring their research and innovation activities, and promote the development of skills and practices aligned with the country’s economic and technological needs. Main activities included supporting institutions to organise and manage research and innovation structures, strengthening technical, professional, and organisational skills for research and innovation actors, and promoting better alignment between national R&I competencies and priority development sectors.
Learning Avenue's Role
Learning Avenue evaluated the project’s contribution to the development of scientific and technological human capital, the structuring of research and innovation activities in Comorian institutions, and the alignment of emerging research capacities with national needs.
Donors / Implementation Partners
Embassy of France in Comoros (SCAC); Comorian research and higher education institutions
Ecuador; Peru; Bolivia; Cuba; Haiti; Senegal; Burkina Faso; Benin; Cameroon; DR Congo; Morocco; Niger; Rwanda; Burundi; Madagascar; Cambodia; Vietnam; Philippines
Fair Partnerships for Quality Higher Education and Research for the SDGs
Evaluation of the cooperation programme “Fair Partnerships for Quality Higher Education and Research for the SDGs – Development Research Projects and South Training Projects”
The programme aimed to strengthen research capacities, enhance training provision, and promote sustainable academic partnerships between Belgian higher education and research institutions and institutions in partner countries, with a focus on the Sustainable Development Goals. Its main activities included supporting development research projects, South-driven training and capacity-building projects, and long-term institutional partnerships that linked higher education and research to development priorities and strengthened scientific cooperation and governance.
Learning Avenue's Role
Learning Avenue conducted an evaluation of the cooperation programme, assessing its effects on research capacity development, institutional strengthening, and the quality and sustainability of international research and training partnerships for the SDGs.
Donors / Implementation Partners
Academy of Research and Higher Education (ARES), Wallonia–Belgium; higher education and research institutions in 18 partner countries
Bangladesh; Colombia; Ivory Coast; Egypt; Ethiopia; Georgia; Ghana; Jamaica; Malaysia; Nigeria; Paraguay; Peru; Philippines; Sri Lanka; Thailand; Tunisia; Ukraine; Vietnam
Ethics of Artificial Intelligence – Global UNESCO Cooperation
Supporting Member States in the Implementation of the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence through Innovative Tools – Mid-term Evaluation
The project aimed to promote responsible, inclusive, and transparent use of AI by strengthening institutional and technical capacities, raising stakeholder awareness, and developing policies and practices aligned with ethical principles, while fostering international cooperation so that AI serves the common good and respects human rights. Main activities included designing and disseminating AI governance tools and mechanisms, delivering capacity-building and advisory support to public authorities and institutions across regions, and facilitating knowledge sharing and cooperation among participating countries on ethical AI in sectors including education, governance and development.
Learning Avenue's Role
Learning Avenue conducted the mid-term evaluation, assessing how the project’s tools, capacity-building, and cooperation mechanisms strengthened cross-country implementation of the AI Recommendation, institutional capacities, and the integration of human rights and inclusion into AI-related international cooperation programmes.
Donors / Implementation Partners
UNESCO; national governments and stakeholder institutions in 18 participating countries
China
INRULED – Rural Education Centre Evaluation
Evaluation of the UNESCO International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education (INRULED), China
INRULED is an international research and training centre based at Beijing Normal University and recognised as a UNESCO Category II Centre, dedicated to the study of rural education and the transformation of rural communities through education. It also contributes to the development of TVET, adult education, and lifelong learning in rural areas, in connection with digital transformation and sustainable development.
Learning Avenue's Role
Conducted an evaluation of INRULED, assessing the Centre’s contribution to rural education transformation, TVET and lifelong learning, its alignment with UNESCO strategies, and its institutional performance as a Category II Centre.
Donors / Implementation Partners
UNESCO; Beijing Normal University