The Centre on Skills, Knowledge, and Organisational Performance (SKOPE) is based at the University of Oxford.
As we navigate accelerating industrial transitions, deepening social inequalities, rapid technological disruption, environmental pressures, and global economic shift, SKOPE believes that transforming education and skills systems is key to building a fairer, greener, and more productive society.
Founded in 1998 through an unprecedented three rounds of funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), SKOPE is a world-leading research centre at the University of Oxford and undertakes rigorous, interdisciplinary research at the intersection of education, skills, employment, and the economy. Our work engages with the political economy of post-16 education and training (E&T), from vocational and academic pathways to work-based learning and adult education.
Our cutting-edge research examines how the evolving dynamics of skills supply and demand shape productivity, economic growth, and social justice in today’s labour market. This shows that to tackle today’s biggest challenges, from climate transition to labour market disruption through AI, we must rethink and reform how education and skills systems are designed, governed, and delivered.
