Education, Technology and Health: A Growth Area for Impact Investors

On May 5th in Stavanger, NorNAB co-hosted an engaging morning session with Laerdal Group and the International Centre for EdTech Impact (WiKIT), bringing together researchers, investors, and policymakers in Stavanger to spotlight education as a powerful, yet underfunded, driver of sustainable development.

The event highlighted how quality education – particularly in health and emergency training – represents one of the highest-return, least-funded global development opportunities.

Key speakers included:

  • Minister of Education Kari Nessa Nordtun, who shared the government’s ambitions for digitalisation and quality in education.
  • Ingrid Lærdal, who presented how Laerdal Global Health systematically works to improve survival in low-resource health systems through training.
  • Libby Hills from the Jacobs Foundation, who emphasized that rigorous evidence must underpin all investments in EdTech.
  • Professor Natalia Kucirkova, who stressed the role of researchers in ensuring both effectiveness and accountability in educational technology.

The panel discussion explored how cross-sector and cross-border collaboration can accelerate learning and scale – positioning education as a bridge between technology, health, and inclusive economic development.

Key insights:

  • Evidence must drive investment – measurable impact is essential for success.
  • Education influences other SDGs – especially in health, poverty reduction, and gender equality.
  • Impact investing in EdTech requires collaboration – among researchers, developers, investors, and the public sector.

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