AQW 48458/22-27

Mr Nick Mathison
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 11/06/2026
Answered On Date: 19/06/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education for an update on (i) the action contained within his TransformED Delivery plan to improve access to education research for teachers; and (ii) any cost incurred as a result of this action.

Answer:

The TransformED Strategy sets out a clear commitment to improve teachers’ access to educational research as part of its wider focus on investing in high‑quality professional learning and to bridge the gap between academic research and classroom practice.

This commitment is being delivered primarily through the “Making Best Practice, Common Practice” Programme, which was launched in March 2025. The programme has three elements: Research-Informed Conferences, monthly newsletters on the Science of Learning and a quarterly publication drawing on education research from Higher Education Institutions.

To date the Department has funded over 50 Research‑Informed Conferences, published three quarterly education research publications and published 17 editions of the Science of Learning newsletter.

The Department has also supported the expansion of the Teachers' Research Exchange (T-REX) platform to educators in Northern Ireland. T-REX is an established digital professional learning community that connects teachers, researchers and other education professionals to access research, share effective practice and collaborate.

To date, £334,875 has been invested in delivering this commitment.