The EERA has been in existence for nearly 20 years, and it is now established as a leading forum in the emerging 'space' of education research across Europe. It is well organized administratively, organizationally and intellectually. In the mid 1990s, when it was created, it was only one of a number of specialized research based organizations operating in Europe. Also, it was created at a time when Europe was divided politically and regionally; when communications were  mainly paper-based; and when national associations could be well organized or not in existence at all.

This paper, based upon a research project on the contemporary history of EERA, will focus on the early years of formation of the 'association of associations'. from its first meeting in Twente in 1992; the second planning meeting at Aarau in 1993, the Working Group meeting in 1994, and the Foundation Ceremony in Strasbourg 1994. The early Council meetings agenda and minutes will be used to establish the early formation of policy inside the EERA.

The proposal will focus on the following questions:

who were the key actors in the formation of EERA?

which were the key events?

which countries were represented in early discussions?

what ECER networks were established in the first years of operation?

and most of all, what were the key elements of foundation policy which had to be resolved in the planning of EERA and in its early operation ?

Gretler, A ‘The International Social Organization of Educational Research in Europe’ EERJ Vol6 No 2 , 2007 Lawn, M and Grosvenor, I ‘Imagining a Project: Networks, Discourses and Spaces – Towards a New Archaeology of Urban Education’ Paedagogica Historica XXXV, 2, 381-393. Lawn, M ‘Constructing a European Policy Space in Educational Governance: the Role of Transnational Policy Actors’ [with R. Lingard] EERJ Vol 1 No2 Lawn, M Governing by Association in Europe? the problems of the unstable policy network Melbourne Studies in Education. [Critical Studies in Education] Vol 48, No1 p 79 - 95