| Abstract: | In the first part of the essay the authors discuss certain issues of international co-operation in educational research: objectives of co-operation; the ideal of universalism; language and culture differences; the organization of co-operation. The discussion draws upon the results of the authors' extensive literature reviews and of their inquiries among researchers, research directors and research financing agencies in several countries. The second part presents the authors' recommendations regarding the future development of international co-operation in educational research, pointing out that its development as a viable scientific discipline is a prerequisite for its successful utilization as an instrument of educational policy-making. It is suggested that three areas of co-operation be given the highest priority in the near future: -retrieval and dissemination of information relevant to educational research; -development of research methods and techniques and the training of researchers; and -critical analysis and synthesis of research results with the aim of producing new, more reliable knowledge. It is emphasized that the organisation needed in order to establish the proposed co-operation must both have strong support from national governments and enjoy considerable freedom in its implementation of a given policy of co-operation. |
