Event Highlights: KIX EMAP Skills-Strengthening Workshop: Qualitative Research
On 28 and 29 January 2026, the KIX EMAP Hub, in partnership with the Building Evidence in Education (BE²) initiative, organised a workshop focused on Qualitative Research. This was the third workshop in the KIX EMAP Skills-Strengthening Workshop Series. The workshop received over 350 applications, with nearly 120 selected participants attending the two-day workshop.
This workshop was designed to help education stakeholders understand how to generate and use qualitative evidence in ways that strengthen program design, implementation, and adaptation across the EMAP region. It introduced them to the BE² Guidance Note on Qualitative Research and provided hands-on practice applying qualitative approaches to real policy and implementation challenges.
The first day began with introductory remarks from José Luís Canêlhas, Director of the KIX EMAP Hub and Deborah Greebon, Deputy Lead at BE².
The session opened with a presentation by Joan DeJaeghere, author of the BE² “Guidance Note on Qualitative Research in Education,” who highlighted the importance of qualitative research in addressing complex educational challenges.
Throughout the session, participants engaged in a variety of interactive activities, including live polls and breakout room discussions. These activities focused on identifying which educational issues and at what levels require qualitative research; exploring the challenges of turning educational problems into strong qualitative research questions; and examining the constraints faced when planning qualitative studies. Joan and Deborah presented two real-life case studies, outlining the methodologies used. The first case study focused on work related to Mission Gunvatta (Mission Quality) and the “Puzzles of Implementation” in Bihar, India, while the second case study focused on understanding community resistance to sexuality education and exploring prospective implementation strategies in Pakistan. During a breakout session, participants reflected on these case studies and discussed their key insights and implications.
At the end of Day 1, participants were given a set of guiding questions to consider in preparation for Day 2. These questions invited them to reflect on alternative research questions relevant to the case studies, other possible methodological approaches, and how sampling strategies and participant selection might differ.
Day 2 began with a brief introduction by Marina Dreux Frotté, KIX EMAP Education Policy, Evaluation, and Learning Lead, followed by a guided discussion facilitated by BE²’s Deborah. Participants were invited to share their reflections on qualitative research methods used in their work contexts. Valuable insights were shared by the KIX EMAP National Coordinators from Indonesia and Sudan, who reflected on their experiences using different qualitative research methods in their respective countries, specifically in relation to access to education and school dropout rates.
Participants then moved into thematic breakout rooms to discuss the questions distributed at the end of Day 1. These discussions focused on alternative research questions and qualitative approaches relevant to the case studies from India and Pakistan. Afterwards, the facilitators asked the groups to share key takeaways and concerns emerging from the breakout discussions. Joan and Deborah continued with presentations covering the integration of quantitative and qualitative research methods, highlighting common mistakes and challenges, and the risks of relying heavily on a single research method. The day concluded with a summary and final reflections from the facilitators, followed by closing remarks from José Luís.