If Education Matters, How Do We Fund It?

​Hosts: Elevate Great, Greater Share, Impact Investing Institute & LEYF

​Join us for a session exploring a critical question: if education truly matters, how should its funding evolve to reflect its true value and advance social justice? 

​Education is consistently seen as one of the highest-return investments a society can make. Strong early foundations shape lifelong outcomes in health, learning, and productivity. They reduce inequality and lower long-term public cost. 

​Join us to explore how capital - public, philanthropic and private - could be structured differently to support high-quality, equitable education at scale. The speakers will share perspectives and evidence across policy, frontline delivery and social finance, spanning the UK, Europe and the global South.  

​Not a traditional panel: You shape the trade-offs 
This 60-minute session includes a live, interactive decision challenge. Using real-time polling, you - the audience  - will be asked to vote on tough financial choices under realistic constraints, in the case of Early Years education in the UK as an example. Where should limited capital go? How should risk be shared between the state, social enterprises and private capital? What trade-offs are acceptable in pursuit of equity? 

​Expect sharp insights, honest trade-offs and a clearer understanding of what it truly means to invest in public goods.  

​Ideal for social entrepreneurs, funders, policymakers, researchers and anyone curious about how to finance systems change. 

​Speakers: 
Dr Sophie Flemig (CEO, Elevate Great; Chair, DataKind UK) 
Dr June O’Sullivan OBE (CEO, London Early Years Foundation) 
Dr Liesbet Steer (Board Member, Greater Share; Rockefeller Foundation; Systemiq) 
Sarah Teacher (Co-CEO Impact Investing Institute; Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors) 

​This venue has a capacity of 40.