International Bureau of Education

Last updated
International Bureau of Education
AbbreviationIBE-UNESCO
Formation1925;99 years ago (1925)
Legal statusActive
Headquarters Geneva, Switzerland
Head
Director of the IBE a.i.
Vacant
Parent organization
United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Website www.ibe.unesco.org

The International Bureau of Education (IBE-UNESCO) is a UNESCO category 1 institute mandated as the Centre of Excellence in curriculum and related matters. Consistent with the declaration of the decision of the 36th session of the General Conference and to ensure a higher effectiveness and a sharper focus, the IBE has defined the scope of its work as pertaining to: curriculum, learning, teaching, and assessment. The IBE-UNESCO provides tailored technical support and expertise to all UNESCO Member States facilitating the provision and delivery of equitable, inclusive, high-quality education within the framework of Education 2030 Agenda.

Contents

History

Pierre Bovet (left) and Jean Piaget in front of the Rousseau Institute in Geneva, 1925 JPiaget-PBovet-1925.jpg
Pierre Bovet (left) and Jean Piaget in front of the Rousseau Institute in Geneva, 1925

The IBE was a private organization created in 1925 by prominent psychologists and pedagogues in Geneva, including Edouard Claparède, Adolphe Ferrière and Pierre Bovet, the latter of whom served as the Director of the IBE from 1925-1929. [1] Initially, the IBE was a small non-governmental organization focused on public and private education, and scientific research. During this time, an external initiative committee consisting of notable academics, educators and thinkers of the day, including Albert Einstein, provided support to the organization. [2] In 1929, it became the first intergovernmental organization dedicated to the field of education. Accordingly, in 1929, the well known epistemologist and professor Jean Piaget was appointed director of the organization. Piaget stayed on as Director until 1967. [3] [4]

Service of Intellectual Assistance to Prisoners of War (SIAP)

Preparation of books and parcels to be sent to prisoners during World War II as part of the IBE's SIAP project 17. Service d'aide intellectuelle aux prisonniers de guerre (1939-45), (.jpg
Preparation of books and parcels to be sent to prisoners during World War II as part of the IBE's SIAP project

In 1939, the IBE created the Service of Intellectual Assistance to Prisoners of War (SIAP), which was based on Article 39 of the Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War. SIAP was initiated with the intention of sending books and providing intellectual services to prisoners during World War II. The IBE collaborated with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), who provided intelligence for the service. The project quickly grew in scale, and by the end of the war the IBE had provided over half a million books to prisoners. SIAP also organized so-called “Internment Universities” and study groups in prison camps. The service was initially funded by the Swiss Federal Council, but increased demand required the search for other funding alternatives. As a result, the IBE began to issue postal stamps in 1940, which were sold in order to raise money to fund the project. [2]

Relationship and integration with UNESCO

The IBE was an independent organization for the first 44 years of its existence. When UNESCO was created in 1945, the IBE helped develop its education programs, thus establishing the first of many collaborations with the nascent UN agency. By 1952, a permanent joint commission was established to ensure effective cooperation between the IBE and UNESCO, and they began to jointly organize the International Conference on Public Education. After 20 years of collaboration, an agreement was signed which would integrate the IBE with UNESCO. In 1969, the IBE joined UNESCO; however, it maintained intellectual and functional autonomy. The IBE is the oldest of UNESCO's category 1 institutes. [3]

Main area of development

Originally, the IBE was developed to provide support and research regarding all aspects of education; however, it gradually became more specialized. Today, under the direction of Dr. Mmantsetsa Marope, the main initiative of the IBE is to set the global standard for quality curricula, especially in the context of promoting education for development. Other areas of focus include the learning sciences and future competencies. [5]

The IBE works primarily in 6 programmatic areas in the context of the IBE's three main areas of focus: Curriculum, Learning, and Assessment. Those 6 programmes are: Innovation and Leadership; Current and Critical Issues; Knowledge Creation and Management; Systemic Strengthening of Quality and Development Relevance; Leadership for Global Dialogue; and, Institutional and Organizational Development. [6]

International Conference on Education (ICE)

Seventh International Conference on Public Education in 1938. The IBE organized the ICE from 1934-2008. Seventh International Conference on Public Education 1938.jpg
Seventh International Conference on Public Education in 1938. The IBE organized the ICE from 1934-2008.

From 1934-2008, the IBE organized the International Conference on Public Education (later known as the International Conference on Education). [3] Jean Piaget and Deputy Director Pedro Rosselló developed the conference in order to bring together Ministers of Education with researchers and practitioners in the field of education. A total of 48 sessions took place with themes including Inclusive Education, quality education, and strengthening teachers. [7]

Prospects

Since 1970, the IBE has edited the academic comparative journal Prospects, which focuses on curriculum, learning, and assessment, particularly in the domains of culture, development, economics, ethics, gender, inclusion, politics, sociology, sustainability, and education. It is published by Springer Netherlands, and available in English, Arabic, and Mandarin Chinese. [8]

The IBE Library

The IBE Library at the Palais Wilson in 1937 22. Bibliotheque du BIE, en 1937 le BIE demenage au Palais Wilson(276 Ph.jpg
The IBE Library at the Palais Wilson in 1937

The IBE Library (also known as the IBE-UNESCO Documentation Centre) has serviced educators, psychologists, and researchers for nine decades. Originally located in the rue des Maraichers, it was also quartered in the historic Palais Wilson in Geneva. The Library was initiated when the IBE began transferring educational journals to the former Library of the League of Nations in the late 1930s. Notable collections of the IBE Library include the IBE Historical Textbook Collection and the IBE Historical Archives 1925-1969. [9]

The IBE Historical Textbook Collection

The IBE Historical Textbook Collection consists of over 20,000 primary and secondary education textbooks and atlases from as early as the 18th century, from over 140 countries, in over 100 languages. The collection also features a number of textbooks in rare languages, such as Guarao, Luvale, Maori, and Irish Gaelic. [9]

The IBE Historical Archives 1925-1969

The IBE Historical Archives 1925-1969 traces the evolution of education from the early 20th century to the modern and creative learning methods of the 1960s. It includes photographs, letters, manuscripts, notes, etc. that belonged to the renowned Swiss educators such as Pierre Bovet and Adolphe Ferrière. The archives provide an introspective look at the development and evolution of the New Education movement, of which many of the IBE's founders were integral contributors. [9]

See also

Related Research Articles

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to education:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jean Piaget</span> Swiss psychologist, biologist, logician, philosopher and academic (1896–1980)

Jean William Fritz Piaget was a Swiss psychologist known for his work on child development. Piaget's theory of cognitive development and epistemological view are together called genetic epistemology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Early childhood education</span> The teaching of children from birth to age eight

Early childhood education (ECE), also known as nursery education, is a branch of education theory that relates to the teaching of children from birth up to the age of eight. Traditionally, this is up to the equivalent of third grade. ECE is described as an important period in child development.

Benjamin Samuel Bloom was an American educational psychologist who made contributions to the classification of educational objectives and to the theory of mastery learning. He is particularly noted for leading educational psychologists to develop the comprehensive system of describing and assessing educational outcomes in the mid-1950s. He has influenced the practices and philosophies of educators around the world from the latter part of the twentieth century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Open educational resources</span> Open learning resource

Open educational resources (OER) are teaching, learning, and research materials intentionally created and licensed to be free for the end user to own, share, and in most cases, modify. The term "OER" describes publicly accessible materials and resources for any user to use, re-mix, improve, and redistribute under some licenses. These are designed to reduce accessibility barriers by implementing best practices in teaching and to be adapted for local unique contexts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rousseau Institute</span>

Rousseau Institute is a private school in Geneva, Switzerland. It is considered the first institute of educational sciences founded in Europe when it opened and gained international influence as the originator of the scientific approach to education phenomena. It became part of the University of Geneva.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environmental education</span> Branch of pedagogy

Environmental education (EE) refers to organized efforts to teach how natural environments function, and particularly, how human beings can manage behavior and ecosystems to live sustainably. It is a multi-disciplinary field integrating disciplines such as biology, chemistry, physics, ecology, earth science, atmospheric science, mathematics, and geography.

UNESCO-CEPES was established in 1972 at Bucharest, Romania, as a de-centralized office for the European Centre for Higher Education. The centre was closed in 2011 due to lack of funding. The centre promoted international cooperation in the sphere of higher education among UNESCO's Member States in Central, Eastern and South-East Europe and also served Canada, the United States and Israel. Higher Education in Europe, a scholarly publication focusing on major problems and trends in higher education, was the official journal of UNESCO-CEPES. The CEPES headquarters was in the Kretzulescu Palace in Bucharest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Édouard Claparède</span> Swiss neurologist, child psychologist and educator

Édouard Claparède was a Swiss neurologist, child psychologist, and educator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beatrice Ensor</span> English theosophist

Beatrice Ensor was an English theosophical educationist, pedagogue, co-founder of the New Education Fellowship and editor of the journal Education for the New Era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development</span> American membership organization for education professionals

ASCD, formerly known as the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, is a education non-profit organization founded in 1943. It has more than 125,000 members from more than 128 countries, including superintendents, principals, teachers, professors of education, and other educators. The ASCD community also includes affiliate organizations Student Chapters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elisabeth Rotten</span>

Elisabeth Friederike Rotten was a Quaker peace activist and educational progressive.

Attash Durrani was a Pakistani linguist, researcher, critic, author, educationist, and gemologist. He wrote more than 275 books and approximately 500 papers in Urdu and English. His main disciplines of study were language, education, computer science, and information technology. He was the recipient of the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz and Sitara-e-Imtiaz for his work of Urdu language and literature.

Eleanor Ruth Duckworth is a teacher, teacher educator, and psychologist.

Yves Brunsvick (1921–1999) was a famous humanist and philosopher of education. Initially a French teacher, in 1948 he joined the French National Commission, initially as assistant to the Secretary-General, Louis François. In 1958 he became head of the commission. Throughout his life, he had great connections in the cultural aspects of UNESCO and had many interest in the International Bureau of Education (IBE). Subsequently, he held the presidency of the IBE council from 1986 to 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roger Cousinet</span>

Roger Cousinet was a French teacher and a pioneer of the progressive education system in France. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts in 1903 at École Normale Supérieure. He went on to become a teacher, before being mobilized into World War 1. Soon after the war, he continued his teaching, focusing on the method of active learning, which was initially frowned upon by his superiors at the time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adolphe Ferrière</span>

Adolphe Ferrière was one of the founders of the progressive education movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holocaust education</span> Efforts to educate populace on the Holocaust

Holocaust education is efforts, in either formal or informal settings, to teach about the Holocaust. Teaching and Learning about the Holocaust addresses didactics and learning, under the larger umbrella of education about the Holocaust, which also comprises curricula and textbooks studies. The expression "Teaching and Learning about the Holocaust" is used by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pedro Rosselló (educator)</span> Spanish educationist (1897-1970)

Pedro (Pere) Rosselló i Blanch, was a Catalan lecturer and educator. He served as the deputy director of the International Bureau of Education (IBE) from 1928-1969, a position which he took over from Elisabeth Rotten. Working alongside director Jean Piaget, he played an integral role in shaping the IBE during its inception as an international organization until its merger with UNESCO in 1969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marie Butts</span>

Marie Charlotte Elisabeth Butts was a French educator, translator, and children’s book author. She served as the first General Secretary of the International Bureau of Education (IBE) from 1926-1953, alongside directors Pierre Bovet and Jean Piaget, respectively.

References

  1. Hofstetter, Rita; Schneuwly, Bernard (2013). "The International Bureau of Education (1925-1968): a platform for designing a 'chart of world aspirations for education'". European Educational Research Journal. 12 (2): 215–230. doi: 10.2304/eerj.2013.12.2.215 . S2CID   28821864.
  2. 1 2 Avanzini, Guy; Darcy de Oliviera, Rosiska; Egger, Eugen; Roller, Samuel; Stock, Rodney; Suchodolski, Bogdan (1979). The International Bureau of Education in the service of educational development. UNESCO. pp. 51, 80. ISBN   978-92-3-101733-9.
  3. 1 2 3 "UNESCO International Bureau of Education. Bureau international d'éducation. Oficina Internacional de Educacion. IBE. BIE. OIE. | UNESCO.org : History". Ibe.unesco.org. Retrieved 2014-08-12.
  4. "Historical note by Pedro Rossello" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-02-28.
  5. "International Bureau of Education: Lead innovation in curriculum and learning". International Bureau of Education. 2015-05-10.
  6. UNESCO-IBE (2017). Report of the Director of the International Bureau of Education to the 67th Session of the Council: Implementation of Activities for 2017. UNESCO-IBE. p. 3.
  7. IBE (2010-07-23). "The International Conference on Education". International Bureau of Education.
  8. "Springer Link: Prospects". Springer Link.
  9. 1 2 3 IBE (2015). IBE In Focus: 90 years of excellence in education. UNESCO. pp. 34, 39.