What models of governance are effective in complex education systems? In all systems an increasing number of stakeholders are involved in designing, delivering, and monitoring education. Like our societies, education systems are increasingly diverse regarding students, teachers, and communities, as well as the values and identities we expect education to deliver. These trends have increased the complexity of education systems, leaving decision makers on all governance levels with the question of how to successfully manoeuvre in this highly dynamic policy area. "Governing Education in a Complex World" addresses key challenges involved in governing modern education systems, looking specifically at complexity, accountability, capacity building, and strategic thinking. The publication brings together research from the OECD Secretariat and invited chapters from international scholars to provide a state of the art analysis and a fresh perspective on some of the most challenging issues facing educational systems today. Creating the open, dynamic and strategic governance systems necessary for governing complex systems is not easy. This volume challenges our traditional concepts of education governance through work on complexity, collaborative networks, and decision-making. In doing so it sets the agenda for thinking about the inclusive and adaptable systems necessary for governing education in today's world. The volume will be a useful resource for those interested in education governance and complexity, particularly policymakers, education leaders, teachers, and the education research community. This volume is composed of four parts. Part 1, Setting the Stage: Governance in Complex Systems, contains the following chapters: (1) Modern Governance Challenges in Education (Tracey Burns and Florian Köster); (2) Complexity Theory and Systemic Change in Education Governance (Mark Mason); and (3) Hierarchies, Networks and Improvisation in Education Governance (Henno Theisens). Part 2, Accountability, contains the following chapters: (4) Exploring Accountability: National Testing Policies and Student Achievement (William C. Smith); and (5) Making Multiple School Accountability Work (Edith Hooge). Part 3, Capacity and the Use of Knowledge, contains the following chapters: (6) Complexity in a Bureaucratic-Federalist Education System (Lorenz Lassnigg); and (7) Knowledge and Research Use in Local Capacity Building (Philippa Cordingley). Part 4, Complexity in Policy Making: Thinking Strategically, contains the following chapters: (8) Policy Experimentation in Complex Education Systems (Patrick Blanchenay and Tracey Burns); (9) Experimentalism in Dutch Education Policy (Lex Borghans); (10) Learning to Fail, Not Failing to Learn (Tracey Burns and Patrick Blanchenay); and (11) Enhancing Effective Education Governance (Tracey Burns and Lucie Cerna). Contains a section about the contributors. (Individual chapters contain references and annexes.)