Experts in the fields of economics, education, and policy gathered from 21-22 June for research presentations and lively debate at the RISE Annual Conference 2018. Among the highlights of the conference was a speech given by the Minister of State for Africa at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Minister of State at the Department for International Development (DFID), Harriett Baldwin, who reaffirmed the UK government’s continued support of Research on Improving Systems of Education (RISE) and the programme’s efforts to tackle the learning crisis. DFID, along with the Australian government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, provides funding for the RISE Programme.