2003 Chair’s Letter, Michael Crossley

2003 Membership Mailing

Dear BAICE Member

It is a pleasure to be writing to all BAICE members with this mailing.  Comparative and international research in education is currently experiencing a resurgence of interest – and this can be seen in the widening of our membership constituency, and in the new challenges that all working within the field now face.  The Association’s journal, Compare, continues to go from strength to strength and is playing a key role in advancing related developments – now including four issues each year for the cost of BAICE membership.  Do submit your work for consideration by Compare.

During my term of office as Chair of BAICE, I aim to help strengthen our intellectual and professional linkages with related bodies such as the Academy of Learned Societies for the Social Sciences, the British Educational Research Association (BERA) and the World Council of Comparative Education Societies (WCCES).  One provisional date for your diaries is, for example, Thursday, 12th June.  We are currently planning a joint BAICE/BERA Day Conference for that date to be held in Bristol.  Look out for further details once we can confirm these arrangements.

Looking ahead to later in 2003, do put 9th – 11th September firmly in your diary for the Oxford International Conference on Education and Development – which, following tradition, incorporates our BAICE conference activities for this year.  Our new BAICE President, Prof Graham Vulliamy of the University of York, will deliver the Presidential Address.  The Oxford Conference will also feature our regular BAICE lecture – and we will hold our Annual General Meeting during that week.  Book now for your place at the 2003 Oxford (and BAICE) Conference – ‘The State of Education:  Quantity, Quality and Outcomes’ (www.cfbt.com/oxfordconference).

BAICE now funds three student bursaries designed to help doctoral candidates to attend our annual conference.  One of these has a special distinction and is known as the Edmund King Bursary.  Applications for these bursaries for Oxford 2003 should be submitted (along with an abstract for a presentation), following the normal conference procedures.  Candidates should specify that they are applying for a BAICE Bursary, and they should include a letter of support from their university supervisor.

The 2002 BAICE Conference, held in Nottingham, was widely regarded as a great success – challenging and enjoyable!  Our collective thanks, therefore, go to Prof John Morgan and colleagues for their excellent efforts.  Looking to the future, the 2004 BAICE Conference will be at the University of Sussex …

Other new developments include a revamping and relocation of the BAICE website that is currently underway.  Once this has been re-established, we will use it as a major vehicle for keeping members in touch with new developments.  In this respect, we welcome Dr Pauline Rose, of the University of Sussex, as BAICE Website Manager.  Two new BAICE Executive Committee Members were also elected this year:  Prof John Morgan (Nottingham) and Prof Rosalind Pritchard (Ulster).  Congratulations to both and to our newly elected Vice Chair, Prof Clive Harber (Birmingham).

Finally, unless you already have a standing order, or have paid up for 2003, you will find a copy of your membership renewal form enclosed.  Please return this as soon as possible – this is always a great help.

With very best wishes to all for 2003.

Michael Crossley

Chair:  BAICE

University of Bristol

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