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both individuals and societies benefit from education. for individuals, the potential benefits lie in general quality of life and in the economic returns of sustained, satisfying employment. for societies, the potential benefits lie in economic growth and the development of shared values that underpin social cohesion. societies make substantial investments from both public and private sources in education, both formal provisions and informal provisions in the community and the workplace. it is important to ensure that the education programmes they support are effective and efficient and that the benefits are distributed equitably. work on education at those non-profit organisations seeks to develop and review policies to enhance the efficiency and the effectiveness of education provisions and the equity with which their benefits are shared. strategies include thematic reviews in specific policy areas, and collecting detailed statistical information on education systems, including measures of the competence levels of individuals. for example, the policies addressed include those implemented within countries for national benefit and those involved in the provision by countries of development aid to build capacity and to spread the benefits of education and training in other countries; the programme on educational building promotes the exchange and analysis of policy, research and experience in all matters related to educational building. its work is of relevance to policy-makers in national and regional authorities responsible for educational facilities, to architects, to system level and institutional managers, and to researchers in the field. | 
