The QCERD is an independent Palestinian research institution. Its primary mission is to assist Palestinian teachers in acquiring new skills and improving their knowledge base. The Centre perceives its mission as one which is complementary to the work of official and unofficial institutions such as the Ministry of Education and non-governmental organisations and universities which are actively involved in planning and providing educational services.

The QCERD believes that the Palestinian people should become producers rather than mere consumers of knowledge. We believe that education of the highest standard is a vital asset for any society, particularly one engaged in a process of reconstruction and nation–building. The QCERD is therefore committed to promote the highest standards of excellence in school-based education, through action research and (teacher) development. At the same time, it aims to encourage positive social values: open, professional, and democratic debate; collaborative research and team work; openness to the innovative ideas of educators in the world; a critical reflection upon our history and experience in order to properly plan for the present and the future; the promotion of a discourse that places emphasis on the public good; the promotion of equal access to resources by marginalised groups in society; and finally, the promotion of modern skills in information technology.

The QCERD believes that policy decisions must be grounded in empirical research. The Centre will therefore put the results of its research at the disposal of all appropriate policy-making bodies. In addition, it will make its resources available to society at large, and will disseminate the results of its research and findings through books, newsletters and other media.

The QCERD will allow the Palestinian public to have access, through the internet and the printed page, to the best that the world of knowledge has to offer in the fields of education. Therefore, the Centre is building a specialised library in education and the sciences that is linked to important databases throughout the world.

The professional and technical skills of the QCERD’s researchers are to be placed at the service of Palestinian education. Consequently, the Centre will, within the limits of its resources, respond positively to requests for professional assistance by teachers, schools, and any official or unofficial bodies involved in the field of education.