History

A History of ISCHE (1979-2000)

by Christophe LÜTH

ISCHE was founded in 1978 to promote both international scholarship and co-operation in the field of history of education. The full aims were :

to foster and facilitate research in the field of the History of Education;

to facilitate international contact, exchange of information and co-operation between all those who work in the field of the History of Education;

to develop understanding and appreciation of the importance of the History of Education and its contribution to social and educational progress;

to foster the History of Education as a perspective in the curriculum of educational and other institutions;

to arrange sessions, functions, seminars, study groups, meetings and publications which will achieve these aims.

The chief vehicle for achieving these aims was the establishment of an annual conference in which participants came from all over the world. Conferences were held in different cities of Europe until 1999 when ISCHE took place in Sydney (Australia). Standing Working Groups were set up when ten or more individual members wished to focus on special subjects of investigation in a multi-national context. At present, there are three Standing Working Groups: Gender in the History of Education; Cross-cultural Influences in the History of Education; and Teachers’ Unions and Higher Education Associations.
Reform plans were set in motion, in the 1990s, aimed to secure greater international participation and presence, as well as to increase the scientific level of ISCHE conferences and publications. New countries have joined ISCHE and, with the aid of secretaries from the national societies, a membership list has been compiled. In 2000 ISCHE became a full member of the International Committee of Historical Sciences (ICHS). A conference paper prize has been established.

Beginning in 1995, a selection of papers presented in each annual conference has been published in Paedagogica Historica, a journal that fulfils an important role inside ISCHE.

A history of ISCHE by Christoph Lüth entitled ‘Entwicklung, Stand und Perspektive der internationalen Historischen Pädagogik am Beginn des 21. Jahrhunderts – am Beispiel der International Standing Conference for the History of Education (ISCHE)’ can be read in : Götte, Petra/ Gippert, Wolfgang (Hrsg.), Historische Pädagogik am Beginn des 21. Jahrhunderts. Bilanzen und Perspektiven. Christa Berg zum 60. Geburtstag. 81-107, (2000) Essen.

Past Presidents :

1978-1982 Brian Simon

1982-1985 Maurits de Vroede

1985-1988 Ottó Vág

1988-1991 Jürgen Herbst

1991-1994 Marc Depaepe

1994-1997 Richard Aldrich

1997-2000 Jeroen Dekker

2000-2003 António Nóvoa

2003-2006 Wayne Urban

2006-2009 Frank Simon

2009-2012 Kate Rousmaniere