What role can education play in times of war, displacement, and uncertainty? And how can schools and universities provide not just learning, but hope, courage, and resilience for communities in crisis?
In this bonus episode of Our World, Connected, host Christine Wilson reflects on her conversation with Professor ‘Funmi Olonisakin, Vice President at King’s College London and founder of the African Leadership Centre. Drawing on her own experiences of conflict in Nigeria and her career at the UN, ‘Funmi shares why she sees education as central to rebuilding societies — from restoring institutions after war, to forging equitable partnerships that transcend borders.
We also hear from Nigerian activist Wadi Ben-Hirki, who has spent nearly a decade advocating for marginalised girls, and from Dr Koula Charitonos of the Open University, who explores how EdTech can offer opportunities for refugees, but also how it has the potential to exacerbate
inequalities, and most fundamentally, to lose that human aspect of education.
Together, these voices reveal how, even in the face of violence and instability, education can act as a lifeline — shaping futures, strengthening communities, and creating the possibility of lasting peace.
Listen to Our World, Connected, brought to you by the British Council. Subscribe and follow for more global stories on culture, connection, and the power of education.
Additional Resources and Links:
Episode 8 Season 1 | Culture and education: Seeds of hope in times of conflict
https://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight/our-world-connected-podcast/culture-education-hope
Teaching for peace - British Council
https://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight/teaching-for-peace
Transnational education: students from conflict-affected regions opting for UK universities
https://www.britishcouncil.org/about/press/students-conflict-affected-regions-opting-uk-universities
International higher education partnerships and the Sustainable Development Goals
International higher education partnerships and the Sustainable Development Goals | British Council
Research in the midst of conflict: New perspectives on peacebuilding in Sudan and Ethiopia
https://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight/research-in-conflict
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