Date
April 15, 2026
April
15
Virtual
2026 OISE Webinar: Education in Rural Context
Education in Rural Context: Challenges and Possibilities for Educational Access and Quality
Register here
More than 40% of the world’s population lives in rural areas. In lower-income contexts, this proportion can be as high as 65–70%. Millions of children attend rural schools around the world, yet decades of research have shown that, irrespective of national boundaries or geography, rural education faces unique challenges in fulfilling its mission. These challenges include limited local infrastructure and resources ranging from inadequate school buildings and teacher housing to insufficient school supplies. The difficulties are compounded by limited accessibility, including unreliable data and digital access and poor roads and transport services that hinder the exchange of ideas and people. Rural systems also face persistent difficulties in recruiting and retaining teachers and school leaders. The literature is replete with examples of families and communities striving to provide the best possible educational opportunities for their children yet struggling to do so within these constraints. Much work remains to address these challenges and to explore innovative approaches to improving rural education.
In this symposium, we invite experts to reflect on both the challenges and the possibilities for advancing educational access and quality in rural contexts. Our aim is to generate meaningful, solution focused dialogue and foster new avenues for research and practice-focused collaboration. The foundations of this virtual symposium were laid at the Inaugural Convening on Education in Asia launched by the Office of International Studies in Education (OISE), Michigan State University, in Fall 2025.
- Nancy Romig, Senior Curriculum and Program Coordinator, Global Education Engagement, Michigan State University, USA
- Iwan Syahril, Global Leader in Systems Transformation and AI in Learning, Indonesia
- Sheneka Williams, Professor and Chairperson, Department of Educational Administration, Michigan State University, USA
In this symposium, we invite experts to reflect on both the challenges and the possibilities for advancing educational access and quality in rural contexts. Our aim is to generate meaningful, solution focused dialogue and foster new avenues for research and practice-focused collaboration. The foundations of this virtual symposium were laid at the Inaugural Convening on Education in Asia launched by the Office of International Studies in Education (OISE), Michigan State University, in Fall 2025.
Panelists:
- Rishikesh BS, Registrar, Azim Premji University, India- Nancy Romig, Senior Curriculum and Program Coordinator, Global Education Engagement, Michigan State University, USA
- Iwan Syahril, Global Leader in Systems Transformation and AI in Learning, Indonesia
- Sheneka Williams, Professor and Chairperson, Department of Educational Administration, Michigan State University, USA
Time
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Location
Virtual