Education Governance and Innovation Fellowship Program

The Education Governance and Innovation "Tarian" Fellows Program brings together a diverse cohort of individuals passionate about driving positive change in education governance and systems. Participants include graduate students, professionals from various sectors, and leaders from Ministries of Education, cities and municipalities, and schools across Southeast Asia. Tarian means "dance" in Malay, signifying the complex and dynamic interplay between actors in the education governance ecosystems.

Our Goal:

We are committed to fostering innovation and collaboration in education governance to address complex challenges faced by educational institutions and systems in Southeast Asia. By leveraging the principles of complex systems, futures thinking, public administration, and education administration, we aim to develop systemic and scalable solutions that empower communities and improve educational outcomes.

What We Offer:

• Interdisciplinary Teams: Participants are organized into interdisciplinary teams comprising individuals with diverse backgrounds, expertise, and perspectives.

• Real-World Challenges: Teams work on real-world education governance challenges sourced from partner organizations, Ministries of Education, cities, municipalities, and schools.

• Complex Systems Lens: Through training and mentorship, participants learn to analyze and address challenges using a complex systems lens, understanding the interconnectedness and dynamics of educational systems.

• Guided Learning: Expert facilitators and mentors provide guidance and support throughout the program, helping teams navigate complex problems and develop effective solutions.

• Networking Opportunities: Participants have the opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals, educators, and policymakers from across Southeast Asia, fostering valuable networks and collaborations.

Program Structure:

1. Orientation: Participants are introduced to the program objectives, team dynamics, and the complex systems approach.

2. Challenge Identification: Teams are assigned real-world challenges and begin conducting research and analysis.

3. Solution Development: Using the principles of complex systems thinking, teams develop innovative solutions and implementation plans.

4. Field Catalyst Hub: Teams will co-create local Field Catalyst Hubs adapted from the  EdRedesign Lab at Harvard Graduate School of Education. 

5. Prototype and Testing: Teams prototype their solutions and conduct pilot tests to evaluate effectiveness and feasibility.

6. Iterative Refinement: Based on feedback and results, teams refine their solutions and implementation strategies.

7. Presentation and Showcase: Teams present their final solutions to a panel of experts and stakeholders, showcasing their impact and insights.

Who Can Participate:

• Graduate students with a background in education, public policy, social sciences, or related fields.

• Professionals working in Ministries of Education, cities and municipalities, schools, NGOs, and other relevant sectors.

• Changemakers passionate about education governance and committed to driving positive change in Southeast Asia.

Suggested Fellows for Each Division

• 10-15 Fellows from City Government or Municipal Governments drawn from diverse offices/programs (education, nutrition, health, environment, economic development, etc.)

• 10-15 Fellows from diverse programs/units of DepEd. Include the Advisers of the City/Provincial Federation of Student Supreme Governments

• 10-15 Fellows from Civil Society, Private Sector, and Education Advocates

• 10-30 Fellows from Academe (Faculty, undergraduate and graduate students) from diverse disciplines related to the broader education ecosystem 

University Co-creation Hubs

Universities have a catalytic role as co-creation hubs. Click here to learn more.

Join Us:

Are you ready to make a difference in education governance? Apply now to become a Southeast Asia Education Governance Fellow and join a dynamic community of changemakers dedicated to transforming education systems in Southeast Asia.

Building Innovation Ecosystems for the Education Sector

Examples of Solution/Impact-oriented Program Designs for the Education Sector

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

General Information

1. Q: What is the Education Governance and Innovation "Tarian" Fellows Program?

   • A: It is a program designed to bring together a diverse cohort of individuals passionate about driving positive change in education governance and systems across Southeast Asia.

2. Q: What does "Tarian" mean and why is it relevant to the program?

   • A: "Tarian" means "dance" in Malay, symbolizing the complex and dynamic interplay between actors in the education governance ecosystems.

Goals and Objectives

3. Q: What are the main goals of the Tarian Fellows Program?

   • A: The main goals are to foster innovation and collaboration in education governance, develop systemic and scalable solutions, and improve educational outcomes.

4. Q: How does the program aim to achieve these goals?

   • A: By leveraging principles of complex systems, futures thinking, public administration, and education administration, and through interdisciplinary teamwork and real-world challenge projects.

Participants and Eligibility

5. Q: Who can participate in the Tarian Fellows Program?

   • A: Graduate students, professionals from various sectors, and leaders from Ministries of Education, cities, municipalities, and schools across Southeast Asia.

6. Q: What qualifications are required for participants?

   • A: Participants should have a background in education, public policy, social sciences, or related fields, and demonstrate a commitment to driving positive change in education governance.

Program Structure

7. Q: What is the structure of the Tarian Fellows Program?

   • A: The program includes orientation, challenge identification, solution development, field catalyst hubs, prototype testing, iterative refinement, and presentation and showcase.

8. Q: What are Field Catalyst Hubs?

   • A: These are local hubs co-created by teams to support the implementation and scaling of innovative solutions, adapted from the EdRedesign Lab at Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Methodologies

9. Q: What is the Problem-Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) approach?

   • A: PDIA is a methodology that tackles complex challenges through problem-solving, iterative learning, and adaptive processes, developed by Harvard's Building State Capability program.

10. Q: How will PDIA be used in the program?

    • A: PDIA will be used to identify and deconstruct problems, develop and test solutions through iterations, adapt based on feedback, and engage stakeholders for sustainable change.

Collaboration and Support

11. Q: How do universities contribute as regional hubs?

    • A: Universities provide faculty expertise, research resources, facilitate collaborations, and support applied research and student projects aligned with the program's goals.

12. Q: What role do university-based business incubators play?

    • A: They offer resources, mentorship, and funding for developing and scaling innovative solutions, and assist in prototype development and market research.

Government Involvement

13. Q: How can DepEd regional and division offices contribute?

    • A: By aligning faculty and student research with program goals, providing access to data and schools, and nominating personnel as fellows to enhance the cohort's diversity and expertise.

14. Q: How do local governments support the program?

    • A: Local governments identify education governance challenges, provide access and logistical support, engage stakeholders, and nominate strategic personnel to participate as fellows.

Nomination Process

15. Q: What is the process for nominating fellows?

    • A: The process includes identification of potential nominees, submission of nomination forms and supporting documents, screening and shortlisting, interviews, and final selection.

16. Q: What criteria are used to evaluate nominees?

    • A: Criteria include relevance to education governance, leadership potential, diversity of backgrounds, and commitment to driving positive change.

Program Activities

17. Q: What types of challenges do teams work on?

    • A: Teams work on real-world education governance challenges sourced from partner organizations, Ministries of Education, cities, municipalities, and schools.

18. Q: What opportunities for professional development does the program offer?

    • A: Fellows gain new skills, knowledge, and networks through training, mentorship, workshops, and hands-on project work.

Outcomes and Impact

19. Q: What are the expected outcomes of the program?

    • A: The program aims to develop innovative solutions, improve educational outcomes, build capacity among participants, and foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.

20. Q: How will the success of the program be measured?

    • A: Success will be measured by the effectiveness of implemented solutions, feedback from stakeholders, the scalability of pilot projects, and the long-term impact on education governance systems.

Problem-Driven Iterative Adaptation Methodology