About
EECERA is an independent, self-governing, international association which promotes and disseminates multi-disciplinary research on early childhood and its applications to policy and practice.
EECERA is a non-profit organisation, wholly-owned and subscribed to by its substantial and influential world-wide membership. It generates its own revenue, receives no external funding and thus ensures its independence, radical attitude and innovative openness.
EECERA seeks to sustain and develop the rich tradition of European early childhood thought, the legacy of Pestalozzi, Owen, Froebel, Steiner, Vygotsky, Piaget, Malaguzzi and other pioneers, whilst looking forward to encourage the exploration of new paradigms, methodologies, concepts and applications in the ever-changing context of early childhood studies. Its reach and interest is resolutely international and, whilst wanting to identify with Europe’s pluralist and diverse cultures, it is open to learn of, and to share in, the equally rich early childhood traditions and concepts of the World.
EECERA’s Annual Conference is the largest early childhood research conference in Europe providing an exceptional forum and network for scholars, policymakers, researchers and practitioners.
EECERA also encourages and supports cross-national collaborations and themed publications through its Special Interest Groups (SIGs).
The Journal of the Association (EECERJ) is the only European early childhood journal cited in the prestigious Social Science Citation Index (SSCI). The SSCI identifies scholarship from across 50 disciplines including ‘education’. Only the world’s leading social sciences journals are selected for inclusion in the index. The SSCI includes only four journals with an early years’ focus, and of these four, only one is produced in Europe, the EECERJ.
Through its Annual Conference, its Journal, its SIGs and the activities of its distinguished membership, EECERA is a leading international contributor to the development of research, policy and practice in the developing field of early childhood.
EECERA Mission
The Association’s mission is the promotion of research which supports the development of high quality early education for all children.
EECERA Aims
Our aims, as stated in the EECERA Constitution, provide more clarity on what our key responsibilities are in achieving this mission:
1. To provide a sustainable, ethical, and democratic academic forum in Europe for the promotion, development and dissemination of high quality, multidisciplinary research into young children, their families and their educators;
2. To facilitate collaboration and cooperation between European researchers in this field and the wider early childhood community across the world;
3. To encourage the clear articulation and communication of the links between multidisciplinary research, practice and policy;
4. To offer interaction, development and support to those interested in early childhood education throughout the world;
5. To raise the visibility and status of European research in early childhood education throughout the world.
EECERA Activities
These aims are achieved through:
1. The creation of a democratic, participatory research community.
2. The staging of an Annual Conference and other forums and seminars for debate.
3. The publication of a peer reviewed, citation indexed, research journal.
4. The establishment of a network of researchers and the facilitation of collaboration and communication between the European and international research community.
5. Such other activities and publications and other knowledge platforms that might facilitate the development of research, policy and practice in early childhood education.