Qatar-based actors in global education financing: a document-based case study of education above all and the Qatar fund for development

This study examines how Education Above All (EAA) Foundation and the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) present their roles in global education financing, with specific attention to the 2020–2021 reporting period. The study is based on a document-based case analysis of annual reports and related institutional materials. It compares the two organisations by looking at reported funding patterns, co-funding arrangements, partnerships, programme priorities, and selected education indicators. The analysis shows that the two organisations are positioned differently in the documents. QFFD is mainly presented as a state-linked development financing actor whose education-related role is often channelled through government and multilateral partnerships, including initiatives such as Education Cannot Wait and joint programming with EAA. EAA, in contrast, is presented through programme-based interventions such as Educate A Child, Al-Fakhoora, ROTA, and PEIC, with a stronger emphasis on implementation networks, advocacy, scholarships, and co-funding. The analysis uses annual reports as institutional accounts, not as independent evidence of long-term impact, and therefore treats the reported indicators with caution. In doing so, the study shows how Qatar-based actors can occupy different but connected roles within global education financing.