Welcome to this year’s edition of On the Global Stage – the annual publication that showcases the international work of the National Education Union in 2025.
International solidarity is central to the work of our union. As educators, we are committed to advancing the lives of our profession as well as those of the children we teach and their families, not just in the UK but globally.
The issues facing educators in the UK – long hours, low pay, a lack of respect and professional status, underfunded schools and a growing teacher recruitment and retention crisis – are the same as those facing our colleagues internationally. Our work on the global stage helps us to connect with our sister unions and work together to resolve the collective challenges we face as a profession and as trade unionists.
Around the world, many children live in crisis contexts caused by conflict, climate change or disasters such as hurricanes or floods. But children the world over aspire to a better future and whether in Kabul or Kettering, all children deserve a high-quality education and a qualified teacher in schools that are safe and well equipped.
The world is just four years away from the promises it made through the United Nations’ sustainable development goals (SDGs) to improve the lives, health, housing and education of everyone. Yet we could not be further away from achieving those goals. SDG4 promised that all children would receive a high-quality, inclusive education by 2030 yet more than 270 million children are out of school globally, and 44 million additional teachers must be recruited to ensure SDG4 becomes a reality. The NEU will continue to advocate and campaign for a quality education for all children wherever they live in the world until that aspiration is achieved.
We are proud of the work the NEU does on the global stage, especially the fantastic work of our international solidarity officers who work tirelessly at district level for a better world for all. This edition of On the Global Stage provides a snapshot of some of that great work by our union in 2025.
