About us

About IAEA

The International Association for Educational Assessment (IAEA) grew out of an International planning conference held in Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.A. on April 19-21, 1974. Some 35 individuals representing 18 countries met on that occasion to consider the desirability and feasibility of establishing an organisation to foster intercommunication among agencies throughout the world which are concerned with the application of assessment techniques for the improvement of educational processes and to provide a framework within which such agencies could undertake cooperative projects. It was decided that the Association, if established, would fill an important need and that an effort should be made to bring it into being.

On May 27, 1975 an organising meeting was held in Geneva, Switzerland, with logistic assistance from the International Bureau of Education, and the participants then decided to set up the Association. The Association believes that international cooperation in educational research and assessment is essential if education throughout the world is to be improved and if its benefits are to be extended to increasing numbers of people. It encourages the establishment of closer ties among individuals, agencies, and institutions who influence and serve educational systems and processes, to the end that nations may learn fromeach other, may help each other, and may do so with no diminution of their cultural autonomy.

Constitutions and Bylaws were adopted and officers and executive committee members were elected and in 1976 the IAEA held its first conference. Since then IAEA has grown and developed and now has about 160 members ranging from Individuals, Primary and Affiliate Organisations. An Executive Committee whose officers and members are elected by the Primary Organisation members governs IAEA, ensuring a wide geographic range is represented on the committee.