What works in Education? STEP UP Conference 2024

Smart Tech & Education Program (STEP UP) Research Initiative

The STEP UP Research Initiative is excited to be hosting the fourth of its annual 'What works in Education?' Conference on September 26-27, 2024. This year's program promises a stimulating mix of empirical, experimental, and theoretical insights designed to spark lively discussions and advance our understanding of educational challenges.

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We are honoured to welcome Victor Lavy as this year’s keynote speaker - Professor at the University of Warwick and Hebrew University of Jerusalem and one of the most prominent education economists in the world. His expertise will undoubtedly provide valuable perspectives on our field.

This 2 day event is free to attend, but we kindly request that you register your attendance. Join us in person at the Business Lounge of UNSW Business School or participate virtually via Teams.

We look forward to your participation in this year’s event and your contribution to our ongoing conversation on improving Education.

Warm regards,

Isabella Dobrescu
Alberto Motta
Richard Holden

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Meet our Keynote speaker

Prof. Victor Lavy

Prof. Victor Lavy is the William Haber Chaired Professor of Economics at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a Chaired Professor of Economics at the University of Warwick.

He earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and an M.A. in economics from University of Chicago where he also continued his academic career with a Ph.D. in economics.

His research spans labour economics, the economics of education, and development economics, with a special focus on studying the determinants of student achievement and the evaluation of means to increase student achievement, including financial incentives for teachers and students, peer effects related to gender or ability, the
quantity-quality trade-off for children, and immigration, and more.

Prof. Lavy is one of the most prominent education economists in the world. He has published in leading economics journals including all the top-5 journals in Economics, being in the top 2% of most cited economists worldwide. His article co-authored with Joshua Angrist - Using Maimonides' Rule to Estimate the Effect of Class Size on Children's Academic Achievement, received the Honourable Mention (2nd
place) at the 2001 Zvi Griliches Prize for the best paper published in the JPE and the QJE.

He is also a Board Member of the Bureau for Research in the Economic Analysis of Development (BREAD), a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), and Research Fellow of the Center for Economics and Policy Research (CEPR), of the Center for Economics Performance (CEP), of the Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), and of the International Growth Centre (IGC). He is actively involved in policy advising and capacity building in Israel at both the central and state-government level, and has also collaborated extensively with the World Bank.

Learn more about STEP UP: Smart Tech & Education Program

The STEP UP initiative aims to develop and sustain an innovative, rigorous and interdisciplinary research agenda on Education. Think of it as a laboratory committed to identifying ‘what works’ in education and narrowing the educational achievement gaps.

Why should we care? Because – as an enormous body of evidence shows – education drives vital life-long outcomes such as income and poverty, health, parenting, social isolation and intergenerational equity, and eliminating such (racial and socioeconomic) education differences will make for a more just and thriving society for all.

Throughout the life of the project, we plan to identify and involve key stakeholders – scientists, educators, and policy makers – to generate and test ideas that have the potential to transform education. We intend this research agenda to position the network as a thought leader on the worldwide challenge of successfully meeting the growing education demand, but even more importantly to provide a solid platform for sustained knowledge exchange and positive social impact.

Our aims are part of a long-term strategy and commitment to achieving excellence in education and advancing a just society via exceptional research and meaningful social engagement that promote social equity, diversity and justice.

We are based at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), with nodes at the University of Queensland and University of Adelaide. Funding from the UNSW Business School, UNSW Pro-Vice Chancellor Education and CEPAR is gratefully acknowledged. Find out more.