SDG 4 baselines, midpoints and targets: Faraway, so close?

International education agendas are often viewed with scepticism due to the large gap between ambitions, efforts and accomplishments. While the 2030 education targets are unattainable, the agenda is nevertheless helping advance a shared understanding of the global education goal. From a quantitative perspective, the introduction of national SDG 4 benchmarks is critical for accountability but also for formative purposes. From a qualitative perspective, concepts such as equity and inclusion, learning, sustainable development, lifelong learning and cross-sectoral as well as cross-national collaboration are being mainstreamed into education policies. As the benchmarking process matures, through wider country participation, stronger communication of results, greater awareness of long-term trends, more conscious efforts to link progress with policies, and more opportunities for cross-national policy dialogue, the ambition is that education development will accelerate.