Research on Improving Systems of Education (RISE) is a large scale, multi-country research programme that seeks to understand how school systems in the developing world can overcome the learning crisis and deliver better learning for all. Through the support, facilitation, synthesis, and harnessing of education systems research, the RISE Programme aims to: 1) Provide an analytical framework to describe and understand how education systems function 2) Generate research that evaluates large-scale system reform efforts on the basis of its impact on student learning and equity in learning across genders and socio-economic classes 3) Generate explanations for why reforms succeed or fail 4) Collect and disseminate new quantitative and qualitative data on education generally 5) Build a community of practice of local and international researchers, policymakers and education practitioners to ensure they have access to the most relevant, up-to-date research