DCU Early Childhood Research Centre hosting official side event at G20 summit in Johannesburg
Prof Mathias Urban and Carolina Semmoloni will represent the DCU Early Childhood Research Centre (ECRC) in South Africa. The event, Early Childhood Care And Education: A Key Pillar For Solidarity, Equality, And Sustainability, aims to communicate the central role of early childhood development, education and care to the T20/ G20 audience of international policy makers and experts from a wide range of disciplines. The event is taking place in Johannesburg on Monday 17 November.
Since 2018, a global consortium co-ordinated by the DCU Early Childhood Research Centre has authored early childhood-focussed policy briefs for all annual T20/ G20 processes . Their recommendations are regularly adopted and included in high-level recommendations and final communiqués. The 2025 policy brief, titled Early Childhood Care and Education: a Key Pillar for Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability, has been adopted and published by T20 Task Force 4 - Solidarity for the Achievement of the SDGs under the sub-theme Reducing Inequalities.
Research on ‘Competent Systems’ in early childhood–led by Professor Urban–has had a significant impact on early childhood policy internationally. The resulting coherent body of policy recommendations adopted by T20 since 2018 emphasise government responsibility for multi-sectoral public policies and highly integrated early childhood development, education, and care systems.
Speakers at the event include representatives of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), members of the international research group, and invited experts.
Speaking ahead of the event, Prof Mathias Urban said:
“In a rapidly changing world young children everywhere are growing up in polycrises scenarios that require concerted, systemic, and whole-of-government responses. We must reframe early childhood education globally and locally as education for survival, resilience, justice and hope.
Traditional geo-political concepts of ‘global south’ and ‘global north’ have become questionable, therefore learning with and from successful and effective local and regional initiatives is crucial–wherever they can be found. I am delighted to see Ireland’s leadership and commitment at its first invited presence at the G20.”
The event is co-funded by the Irish Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade. It will be co-hosted by DCU ECRC and the University of South Africa.