Abstract

This paper is a lightly adapted version of a keynote speech that was delivered as part of the 60th anniversary conference celebration of the Educational Research Centre (ERC), which took place in January 2026. It reflects on the role of educational research institutions such as the ERC as custodians of institutional knowledge, and the tension in educational research between being able to contribute to longer-term societal understanding while also delivering insights that effectively support policy and practice in an evolving educational landscape. It also considers the importance of capacity building, standing capacity for flexible deployment, and effective data infrastructure systems to strengthen research responsiveness to emerging policy needs.

Keywords: Education, Research, Policy