Between 2 November and 17 December 2026, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Dakar and Berlin host at least eight major education events, from an African Union ministerial committee to OEB Global. For teachers, TVET leaders and corporate trainers planning the end of the year, this calendar of education events for 2026 lists verified dates, organisers and official links.
Key facts
- The 15th Teacher Policy Dialogue Forum runs from 23 to 25 November 2026 at African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa; registration closes on 6 November.
- The World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics holds its World Congress in Nairobi, hosted by the Association of Technical Universities and Polytechnics in Africa.
- OEB Global meets in Berlin from 2 to 4 December under the theme “Sovereign Learning: Trust, Agency & the Education Reset.”
- Addis Ababa alone hosts four of the eight events listed below, all of them organised or co-hosted by the African Union.
Education events calendar at a glance
| Dates (2026) | Event | Place | For whom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2–6 Nov | STC-EST 6, African Union | Addis Ababa | Ministries, policy staff |
| 4–8 Nov | AISA Annual Conference | Nairobi | School leaders, teachers |
| 9–13 Nov | COMSTEA 23 (STEM education) | Addis Ababa and online | STEM teachers, trainers |
| 23–25 Nov | Teacher Policy Dialogue Forum | Addis Ababa | Teacher policy, CPD |
| 21–26 Nov | WFCP World Congress | Nairobi | TVET colleges, polytechnics |
| 2–4 Dec | OEB Global | Berlin | Digital learning, L&D |
| 8–10 Dec | Early childhood ministerial conference | Dakar | Ministries, ECD networks |
| 13–17 Dec | Fourth Interregional Dialogue on Education and Development | Addis Ababa | Higher education networks |
Which events matter most for teacher training?
The 15th Teacher Policy Dialogue Forum is the one to watch. It is convened by the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030 with the African Union Commission and UNESCO, and co-funded by the European Union through its Regional Teachers Initiative for Africa. The Forum will launch the 2026 Global Report on Teachers, which looks at professional development as a lifelong process. Its three discussion strands cover lifelong teacher learning, policy reform for professional development, and the financing and data needed to make commitments last. In-person places require approval.
One dating detail: UNESCO IICBA’s event list shows the Forum as 23 to 26 November, while the official registration page gives 23 to 25. We use the organiser’s dates.
Earlier in November, the Association of International Schools in Africa meets at Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi. Pre-conferences run on 4 and 5 November and the main conference from 6 to 8 November, under the Swahili theme “Wezesha.” Sessions target counsellors, safeguarding leads and early years teachers as well as heads.
Skills, TVET and STEM in Nairobi and Addis Ababa
The WFCP World Congress carries the theme “Building Skills for Sustainability, Innovation, and Global Employability.” The WFCP page lists a Leadership Institute on 21 and 22 November, followed by the Youth Congress and World Congress from 23 to 26 November. The UNESCO-UNEVOC calendar gives 23 to 27 November, so check the final programme before booking travel.
For science and maths teachers, COMSTEA 23 runs from 9 to 13 November at the Adwa Victory Memorial Museum in Addis Ababa, with virtual participation, organised by Ethiopia’s Ministry of Education, SMASE-Africa and the African Union. A week earlier, on 2 to 6 November, African education and science ministers meet for the sixth ordinary session of the AU Specialized Technical Committee on Education, Science and Technology. Both appear on the UNESCO IICBA events list, which also includes the Dakar early childhood conference and the December Interregional Dialogue.
Europe: OEB Global in Berlin
OEB Global presents itself as an annual, cross-sector conference and exhibition on digital learning. This year’s theme asks how education should respond to AI while keeping human judgement and agency at the centre. Registration and a ticket shop are open on the official site. Prices are not listed on the main page.
Apps and online access
Several of these events run partly through apps and platforms. OEB publishes its agenda and speaker list through an embedded Swapcard event app. The Teacher Policy Dialogue Forum handles registration on the UN’s Indico system. COMSTEA offers virtual participation for those who cannot travel to Addis Ababa.
How educators and trainers can use this calendar
- Register for the Teacher Policy Dialogue Forum before 6 November if you work on teacher CPD in Africa.
- Confirm final WFCP dates with the organiser before booking flights for a TVET delegation.
- Ask organisers for attendance certificates you can verify and log as continuing professional development.
- If travel is not possible, follow the 2026 Global Report on Teachers launch and the OEB programme online.
For context on African and European priorities, see our earlier pieces on Africa’s USD 6.8 billion science bet and on mentoring in European professional learning.
FAQ
When is OEB Global 2026?
OEB Global takes place in Berlin from 2 to 4 December 2026.
How do I register for the Teacher Policy Dialogue Forum?
Through the UN Indico registration page; the deadline is 6 November 2026 and in-person places need approval.
Which education events in 2026 focus on TVET in Africa?
The WFCP World Congress in Nairobi in late November is the main one, hosted by the Association of Technical Universities and Polytechnics in Africa.
Sources: UN Indico, Teacher Policy Dialogue Forum; Mission 4.7; WFCP; UNESCO-UNEVOC; AISA; OEB Global; UNESCO IICBA.
