ASSOCIATION FOR CHILDHOOD
EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL
MISSION
ACEI has been a leader in the international education landscape since 1892. Its work advances
policies and best practices in education on a global scale to build a more tolerant and peaceful
world, and prepare today's youth for tomorrow's challenges. ACEI's mission is “to promote
innovative solutions to education challenges and inspire action that creates positive, sustainable
futures for children and youth worldwide," and believes that every child should have access to a
quality education which prepares him or her to become a responsible and engaged citizen. The
organization advocates on behalf of children's education with actors at the global, regional, and
national levels.
THE PROGRAMS
Education Diplomacy
Progress toward the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals requires partnerships,
collaboration, and cooperative action at the international, national, and local levels. A sustainable
future depends upon the advancement of education as a bridge to peace, prosperity, and
innovative solutions to complex global challenges. Educators around the world must acquire a
new set of skills that goes beyond traditional leadership and advocacy.
ACEI developed the concept of Education Diplomacy, which employs diplomatic skills to
cultivate understanding, trust, and agreement on initiatives that support this global vision of
education for tomorrow. It is an approach that fosters productive, dynamic relationships within
the education community, and between education and other sectors, like healthcare, social
services, technology, media, business, and finance.
Examples of Education Diplomacy in action are:
Negotiating international goals, declarations, and agreements for education;
Collaborating with community members to implement child-centered education services;
Partnering with government ministries to develop locally relevant education policies
ACEI’s Center for Education Diplomacy, our core program for leadership in education, is the
world’s leading knowledge hub for this innovative concept. Visit the Center at
www.educationdiplomacy.org to learn more about our Education Diplomacy course and other
ways to explore the concept and its practical application.
Global Citizenship Education
A global world requires a global education. With today's interconnected world virtually at our
fingertips, there is greater potential for collaboration, creativity and innovation than ever before.
Yet this increased access and integration across national, social and racial boundaries also
presents risks and challenges in the face of persistent intolerance and inequality.
That's why thriving in the 21st century - as individuals and as a planet - requires more than
traditional academics. It requires a global education that promotes cross-cultural awareness and
the peace-building values of diversity, social justice, human rights and sustainable development.
Global Schools First (GSF) supports the global education movement by oddering schools
worldwide an array of resources, support systems and event-based learning opportunities to help
optimize their curriculum.
GSF also provides a platform to assess schools' progress in embedding global education into
their curriculum and across all aspects of their faculty, leadership and culture. The program will
recognize individual schools' outstanding achievements, and illuminate pathways for growth as
they move toward their global education goals.
GSF is designed for schools committed to fostering generations of enlightened learners who are
prepared to engage in the process of creating a more peaceful, just and sustainable future.
Education Innovation
Innovation moves us beyond where we are, bringing us closer to where we need to be. ACEI’s
mission is based on advancing innovations in education to provide transformative solutions that
meet the needs and challenges of our global world—and now more than ever before, innovation
is the way forward.
It is widely known that education is the key to social and economic progress. Today’s education
innovation movement believes that a quality education should also promote better health,
democratic participation, gender equality, and environmental sustainability—leading us to a
more peaceful, prosperous world. As we move further into the 21st century, we must move
toward a new standard of global education that puts this ambitious belief into practice.
ACEI’s Innovation Exchange program allows for knowledge sharing through our website and
publications about topics including emerging trends and ideas in curriculum, assessment,
education financing, school design, technology, school leadership, professional development for
educators, and other critical issues. It is committed to being an educator’s primary resource for
exploring innovative initiatives and ideas in education.
GOALS
the organization aiming to accomplish
ACEI works to provide a forum for a discussion about childhood and education around the
world, and to distribute information about the optimal education, development, and well-being of
children. We seek to increase cross-disciplinary collaboration and sharing for the benefit of
children and to provide tools and resources for educators that contribute to sustainable futures for
all and promote internationally accepted humanitarian values in delivery of education and the
rights of children.
ACEI's goals are aligned with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
recently adopted by the global community. Specifically, SDG 4 - to ensure inclusive and quality
education for all and promote lifelong learning. ACEI's specific goals are that:
1. Countries make measurable progress toward education-related SDGs (primarily SDG 4)
2. Innovation becomes the driving force behind improving school achievement globally
3. Classrooms worldwide reflect the integration of global education awareness
the organization's key strategies for making this happen
ACEI advocates on behalf of children's education with audiences at the global, regional, and
national levels. To engage governments, schools and school systems, non-profits, and the private
sector in advancing its mission, ACEI utilizes a full suite of advocacy and information
distribution tools and tactics, in particular:
Convening through content-specific conferences, trainings, meetings, symposia; in-person or
virtual; alone or in partnership with others;
Outreach through digital/print publications and communications, website, social media,
marketing, direct service;
And through aggregating, “curating" and sharing innovative practices; original research in
partnership with others.
Achievements and next steps
ACEI has always aspired to be a leader in innovation to advance childhood education, and has
accomplished the following:
Founded the Center for Education Diplomacy, their core program for leadership in education,
and is the world's leading knowledge hub for this innovative concept. Education Diplomacy
employs diplomatic skills to cultivate understanding, trust, and agreement on initiatives that
support this global vision of education for tomorrow. It is an approach that fosters productive,
dynamic relationships within the education community, and between education and other sectors,
like healthcare, social services, technology, media, business, and finance.
Fully accredited by IACET, ACEI Developed an online course on Education Diplomacy, which
is applicable to those working in education, health, development, diplomatic positions, public
service, and the private sector. The course promotes inter-disciplinary knowledge and the
cultivation of diplomatic skills and dispositions that will facilitate navigation of difficult contexts
and complex issues in order to promote human development. Development of a second, more in-
depth course is underway.
Established a Country Liaisons program that provides information about education and
childhood-related policies and activities in 50 countries.
Shares knowledge through our Innovation Exchange program via our website and three
publications: Childhood Education, Childhood Explorer and the Journal of Research in
Childhood Education. These publications focus on emerging trends and ideas in curriculum,
assessment, education financing, school design, technology, school leadership, professional
development for educators, and many other critical issues. We are committed to being an
educator's primary resource for exploring innovative initiatives and ideas in education.
Publishes articles written by authors and organizations from around the world who are working
to support quality education and protect children's rights and well-being. ACEI's research journal
features articles that advance knowledge and theory of education.
Currently building ACEI's Global Schools First (GSF) program, that contributes to the Global
Citizenship Education (GCED) movement by offering schools worldwide an array of resources,
support systems, and event-based learning opportunities to implement quality GCED and
effectively develop global citizens.
Creating an International Code of Ethics for Educators, which will be a universal instrument that
reflects internationally accepted humanitarian values, United Nations treaties, and other
international agreements. It may be adapted and applied by educators around the world as a tool
for critical reflection and professional aspirations.
Working to strengthen representation in more areas of the world and to increase connections
with child-oriented disciplines outside the education field.
