Karsten Weitzenegger is a member of NORRAG, the Global Education Centre of the Geneva Graduate Institute and one of the world’s leading networks for international policies and cooperation in education and training.
What Is NORRAG?
NORRAG traces its roots to 1977 as the Research, Review, and Advisory Group (RRAG), originally funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Swedish International Development Authority (Sida) to critically review and disseminate education research related to the Global South. It adopted its current name in 1986 and is today hosted by the Geneva Graduate Institute (IHEID) in Switzerland, with core support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) as well as the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Knowledge Innovation Exchange.
Today, NORRAG connects more than 6,100 members across 174 countries, making it a truly global knowledge network.
What NORRAG does
NORRAG’s core mandate is to co-produce, disseminate, and broker critical knowledge on quality and equity in education and development, while amplifying under-represented expertise particularly from the Global South. Its work is directed at informing and influencing international education policy, with a firm commitment to social justice, equity, and evidence-based practice.
Key activities include:
- NORRAG Special Issues and working papers on cutting-edge education and development policy themes
- A widely read blog featuring voices from researchers, practitioners, and policymakers worldwide
- Thematic research initiatives in areas such as domestic financing of education, skills and TVET, and learning outcomes in the Global South
- Capacity-strengthening work for public, private, voluntary sector, and academic stakeholders
- Participation in global policy processes linked to UNESCO, SDG 4, and international education cooperation frameworks
NORRAG actively supports the creation of conditions for more participatory, evidence-informed policy decisions that improve equal access to quality education.
Why This Network Matters for Development Practitioners
For professionals working at the intersection of education, capacity building, and international development, NORRAG is an indispensable knowledge platform. In a sector where evidence quality and Southern voices are increasingly central to donor priorities — from GIZ programming to EU-funded skills development — being part of a network that rigorously tracks these shifts gives practitioners a genuine analytical edge.
Karsten Weitzenegger’s membership reflects his engagement with education and training as a cross-cutting dimension of sustainable development, complementing his consulting work in capacity building and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Join NORRAG
NORRAG membership is free and open to anyone working in or interested in education and training policy and cooperation globally. With over 6,100 members in 174 countries, joining means accessing a global community of researchers, policymakers, educators, NGO professionals, and bilateral donors united by a shared vision of equitable, quality education.
👉 Join NORRAG at norrageducation.org
Karsten Weitzenegger is an independent development consultant based in Germany, with 30+ years of experience in international development, evaluation, and capacity building. His NORRAG membership is associated with Karsten Weitzenegger Consulting.