Welcoming the Global Accelerator 2026-27 cohort to Skills Builder Partnership!

September 9, 2026

At Skills Builder Partnership, our mission is driven by a simple yet transformative vision: one day, everyone will build the essential skills to thrive.

This September, we are thrilled to officially welcome our newest international cohort of schools and colleges to the Global Accelerator 2026-27!

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Inspiration from our team

Reflecting on the launch of this year's cohort, Sophie Deaville, Head of Global Programmes, shared her enthusiasm for the expanding global movement:

An image of Sophie Deaville in a circular frame, smiling brightly and wearing a black formal dress

"It is so inspiring to see passionate educators and school leaders from across the globe coming together with a shared commitment to essential skills. Every time a new cohort joins the Partnership, we are reminded of the power of a unified community working to transform outcomes for young people. Seeing educators take this step to empower their classrooms and communities is truly what drives our work forward."

Seeing this momentum firsthand, Amiee Thomas, Education Associate, highlighted the early impact already happening across schools:

An image of Amiee Thomas in a circular frame, wearing a black top and smiling calmly

"I am so excited to join Skills Builder Global as the 26/27 cohort launches! The passion is real, and seeing schools and colleges already using the Hub's resources to plan and build the eight essential skills shows just how amazing this year is going to be."

Whether you are joining us from East Africa, Southeast Asia, Europe, or the Americas, you are now part of a growing global movement of over 900 institutions and impact organisations.

Together, we are bridging the gap between classroom learning and lifelong success.

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The Universal Framework

Central to the Accelerator's success is the Universal Framework, a world-leading roadmap created to make essential skills as tangible, teachable, and measurable as literacy or numeracy. The framework breaks essential skills down into 16 sequential, step-by-step learning milestones from initial building blocks to mastery. It covers the eight skills across four key themes:

An image of the Eight Essential Skills and their pairings. Listening and Speaking are communication. Problem Solving and Creativity are creative problem solving skills. Adapting and Planning are self-management skills. Lastly, Leadership and Teamwork are collaboration skills.

Communication: Listening (receiving, retaining, and processing information) and Speaking (oral transmission of information or ideas).
Creative Problem Solving: Problem Solving (finding solutions to complex situations) and Creativity (generating and applying new ideas).
Self-Management: Adapting (adjusting to change and staying positive in challenging situations) and Planning (setting goals, managing time, and prioritizing work).
Collaboration: Leadership (supporting, encouraging, and motivating others) and Teamwork (working cooperatively toward a shared goal).

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What lies ahead for the 202627 cohort?

Over the next academic year, your institution will embark on a strategic, year-long journey designed to embed the Skills Builder Universal Framework deep into your culture and curriculum.

Students in schools participating in the Global Accelerator consistently make twice as much progress in developing essential skills compared to their peers.

A graph showing the Accelerated Progress of learners on the Accelerator Programme.

Here is what you can expect as we kick off this year together:

Strategic leadership: Every participating school has a dedicated Education Associate to support their vision. Through tailored training days and 1:1 planning meetings, you will build a sustainable, long-term strategy tailored to your school’s unique priorities.
Teacher empowerment: High-quality essential skills education starts with confident teachers. Through interactive CPD and curriculum auditing, your staff will gain the tools and common language needed to explicitly teach and reinforce skills in everyday lessons.
Access to premium tools and resources: You now have full access to the Skills Builder Hub, featuring over 300 short lessons, project resources, and assessment tools like Skills Builder Benchmark to measure individual student progress across our eight essential skills.
Global peer learning: You are not doing this alone. Throughout the year, you will connect with fellow educators around the world to share solutions, reflect on best practice, and learn from diverse educational contexts.

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A shared commitment to impact

Building essential skills isn't an "extra”. It is the thread that weaves through great teaching, academic rigour, and real-world readiness. By stepping up to join the 2026-27 Global Accelerator, your school leadership team is taking a definitive stand to ensure your learners are prepared for an ever-changing world.

As we begin our first round of Skills Leader training sessions and strategy meetings, we encourage you to dive into the Hub, start conversations with your colleagues, and celebrate the small wins along the way.

Welcome to the community, 2026-27 cohort!

To follow the journey of this year's cohort or learn more about our global programmes, connect with us on social media or reach out to the team at global.programmes@skillsbuilder.org.