In this episode of EWF Conversations, EWF Programme Director Fabrizio Trifirò talks to Christian Brändli Head of Private Sector Development at the Swiss State Secretary for Economic Affairs (SECO), and Daniel Uribe, Director at Fundación Corona Colombia,. This is the second in a series of 4 episodes sponsored by EOF to explore how innovative financing is reshaping education and skills systems at a time of fiscal constraints.

This second episode focuses on linking financing to employment outcomes, specifically looking at how governments can ensure skills development translates into real-world jobs as labor markets evolve. Christian and Daniel discuss the mismatch between private sector demand and current education supply, the necessity of building internal government capacity to transition from paying for inputs to paying for verified employment results, and share examples of success from impactful programs in Colombia, South Africa, and Morocco. They also reflect on the challenge of using data to track job placement and retention while simultaneously advocating for flexible, micro-credentialed learning pathways to better align with the rapid pace of the modern market

In this episode of EWF Conversations, EWF Programme Director Fabrizio Trifirò talks to Amel Karboul Amel Karboul, CEO of the Education Outcomes Fund (EOF), and Eunice Ogolo Director of Girls Capital Africa at the Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF). This is the first in a series of 4 episodes sponsored by EOF to explore how innovative financing is reshaping education and skills systems at a time of fiscal constraints. This first episode sets the context by highlighting the shift toward outcome-based financing and initiatives aimed at aligning incentives around verified results to empower children and young people as they transition into the labor market. Amel and Eunice discuss the evidence of success from impactful programs in India and Sierra Leone, the necessity of building internal government capacity for sophisticated "financial engineering," share examples of how system-wide accountability can ensure children actually learn, and reflect on the challenge of managing shrinking fiscal space and rising debt while simultaneously improving the quality and effectiveness of foundational learning,

In this episode of EWF Conversations, EWF Programme Director Fabrizio Trifirò talks to Pia Britto, UNICEF Global Director of Education. Britto reflects on the challenge of a global education crisis where three-quarters of children are being failed, highlighting a typology of learning failures, denied, disrupted, and delayed, and initiatives aimed at establishing a "future ready" model centered on equity and 21st-century skills. She discusses the findings of UNICEF’s work across 144 countries, the necessity of gender inclusivity through digital and STEM skills, and the impact of human-centered AI. Finally, she explores the value of EWF for fostering international partnerships, sharing examples of how the forum facilitates collective action and turns global dialogue into practical results for the most marginalized children.