Modernizing mathematical sciences education: learning from international perspectives at the international congress of mathematics education

The National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education awarded the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska $199,950 on December 15, 2026, under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) to support attendance of a U.S. delegation of mathematics educators, education researchers, and policy leaders at the 16th International Congress of Mathematics Education (ICME-16) in summer 2028.

The delegation will participate in ICME-16 topic study groups and dedicated sessions on mathematics education, engaging with international experts and educational practices from over 100 represented countries. Participants will interact with diverse international perspectives on mathematics communities, curriculum, and instruction, with emphasis on learning from promising educational strategies and research findings applicable to U.S. K-16 mathematics education. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln coordinates the initiative in collaboration with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, American Mathematical Society, American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges, Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, and Mathematical Association of America. Awardees will disseminate their reflections on ICME-16 experiences to a wide audience in the United States, connecting international learnings to local and national U.S. education issues.

Place of performance is Lincoln, Nebraska. The project period runs through November 30, 2029.

Abstract

This project aims to serve the national interest by providing educators and researchers in the mathematical sciences with professional development through sustained interactions with all levels of national and international researchers in K-12 through undergraduate mathematics education whose policies and practices shape K-16 education. Specifically, this project supports the attendance of a delegation of mathematics educators, mathematics education researchers, and mathematics education policy leadership at the 16TH international congress of mathematics education (ICME-16) during the summer of 2028. This conference presents a unique opportunity to learn from international experts about potential educational strategies from the over 100 countries typically represented at an ICME. The proposed activities will advance and spread knowledge and understanding of promising international educational practice and research findings among practitioners and researchers in the US. The delegation will participate in the majority of ICME-16 topic study groups, dedicated sessions on aspects of mathematics education. The awardees will interact with a wide range of international perspectives on mathematics communities, curriculum, and instruction, the focus of ICME-16. The proposed activities are facilitated by the national council of teachers of mathematics in collaboration with the american mathematical society, american mathematical association of two-year colleges, association of mathematics teacher educators, the mathematical association of america, and the university of nebraska-lincoln. Awardees will be expected to disseminate their reflections on their ICME-16 experiences to a wide audience in the US with a focus on how their learnings relate to local and national US issues. The insights and international perspectives developed will inform multiple communities and constituencies nationwide and provide a resource for NSF program development, including the NSF iuse: EDU program, which supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of stem education for all students. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are planned for this award.