The International Review of Education is edited by the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, Hamburg, with the advice of an independent Editorial Board and the assistance of consulting editors and academic reviewers. The journal is the longest-running international periodical on the comparative theory and practice of formal and non-formal education.

Serving as an international forum for lifetime education and learning, the journal provides scholarly information on policy issues, educational trends, and learning innovations. It serves educational institutes, teacher-training organizations, and ministries as well as non-governmental organizations and individuals in all countries.