This project, a collaboration between the University of Bath and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), was designed to enable greater evidence-based policymaking to improve the education of Palestine Refugees. It focused on those in Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank.

The project facilitated knowledge exchange between Bath and policymakers, while training academics - including postgraduate researchers (PGRs) and early career researchers (ECRs) - to communicate effectively with policymakers.

By combining UNRWA's regional expertise with Bath's data analysis capabilities, the initiative directly supported UNRWA in achieving its own objectives through evidence-based policymaking. It also and provided valuable experience for ECRs and advanced University's goal of building impactful partnerships.

Building on the Principal Investigator’s previous advisory role in the development of UNRWA’s ALO Study, which involved over 16,000 students and data collection from parents, teachers, and headteachers, the project focused on deepening the analysis of ALO data.

By bridging the gap between available data and the capacity to develop policy-relevant questions, conduct rigorous analyses, and translate findings into actionable decisions, the project strengthened the foundation for evidence-based policymaking.

Project team members

This collaborative project benefitted from the expertise of staff from Bath and the UNRWA:

• Professor Andrés Sandoval-Hernández (University of Bath) - Principal Investigator
• George Boade (UNRWA)
• Dr Aida García-Lázaro (University of Bath)
• Dr Fuad Jadallah (UNRWA)
• Dr Hanan Kanash (UNRWA)
• Dr Hala Yasmine Khaled (University of Bath)
• PhD(c) Natalia López-Hornickel (University of Bath)
• Kedhir Yimam (UNRWA)

Project outcomes

This project resulted in the below outcomes:

• A policy sandpit at UNRWA headquarters, attended by UNRWA staff, the project’s Principal Investigator (PI), and Co-Investigators (Co-Is) (March 2023)
• Participation of senior UNRWA staff in the Institute for Policy Research (IPR) Policy Fellowship Programme (March 2023)
• A workshop on secondary analysis of ALO data (March 2023)
• Dissemination of findings to policy audiences through a series of policy briefs:
  • Child neglect: The urgent need for structural support
  • Digital connectivity and cognitive learning outcomes in UNRWA students
  • Learning loss in UNRWA schools