Since the 1990s, several authors have shown how the process of educational privatization goes beyond the privatization of educational supply or the emulation of managerial logics in schools (Ball & Youdell, 2008; Edwards et al., 2021) and is also crossed by what Ball (2012) called "privatization of educational policy.” Defined as the presence, incidence, negotiation, and impact (direct and indirect) of non-state actors (e.g., corporate philanthropy, Big Techs, NGOs, international organizations, and think tanks) on educational policymaking, policies, and practices, this approach allows us to explore and understand the role of these actors in the construction of contemporary school systems, as well as the transformations in the forms of governance and educational reform processes (Srivastava & Walford, 2016). Overall, existing research has shown that philanthropic foundations have three main roles in contemporary educational systems: i) transform functions historically associated with the public; ii) create private consortia and alliances to influence policy; and iii) coordinate public-private networks (Fontdevila et al., 2021), thus redefining the very nature of the public and private sectors. However, little has been theorized about the role of institutional, educational, and political characteristics that shape the presence and actions of philanthropic foundations in contemporary educational systems. This paper aims to elaborate a global theory that connects the characteristics and actions of philanthropic foundations with the cultural, educational and political legacies of contemporary educational systems. Methodologically, the paper is based on a systematic literature review of more than 150 academic articles indexed in Scopus and Web of Science. The analysis offers a novel view of the phenomenon by examining the strategies and actions of these types of private actors in the context of the Global South in detail. Three main findings are identified: First, the analysis shows that philanthropic foundations have a globalizing nature, which follows similar rationales and strategies in both the global North and South: financing and disseminating research, with a presence in the media as specialists, generating networks and alliances between state and non-state actors, promoting mainly market-based ideas, and focusing on the results that can be obtained from their investments. Second, the paper highlights three rhetorical concepts proposed by philanthropic foundations: i) their focus on equity; ii) the importance of the impact of their work; and iii) the interest in scaling up their programs and initiatives. Third, this systematic literature review notes how non-state actors are beginning to be part of the frontline in policymaking.

Ball, S. J. (2012). Global Education Inc.: New policy networks and the neoliberal imaginary. Routledge. Ball, S. J., & Youdell, D. (2008). Hidden privatisation in public education. Education International. Edwards Jr, D. B., Caravaca, A., & Moschetti, M. C. (2021). Network governance and new philanthropy in Latin America and the Caribbean: Reconfiguration of the state. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 42(8), 1210-1226. Fontdevila, C., Verger, A., & Avelar, M. (2021). The business of policy: a review of the corporate sector’s emerging strategies in the promotion of education reform. Critical Studies in Education, 62(2), 131-146. Srivastava, P., & Walford, G. (2016). Non-state actors in education in the Global South. Oxford Review of Education, 42(5), 491-494.