The European School. From post-war idealism to a present-day cultural opportunity.

Since 1953, the year in which the first European School was founded, publications
and systematic research on this unique form of international nursery,
primary and secondary education have been limited and fragmented leaving it
as relatively blank spot in the international education arena.

This book is the first-ever in the almost 60-year history of the European School that removes the
obscurity and misconceptions that exist about it in a comprehensive manner.

It describes, analyses and evaluates its position emanating from the main research
question: what are the most important causes for its rise, what developments has
it seen and what results has it achieved considering the studies and careers of its
alumni.

Furthermore, it is critical of some of its practices, makes suggestions for
improvements and opens a debate about future developments. It also touches on
current internationalisation efforts and structures in secondary and higher education
in some European countries.

Currently there are 22 European Schools in
11 countries with at present more than 36,000 holders of the European Baccalaureate
Diploma, which is an entry qualification for higher education.

This book
is ‘a must read’ for anyone interested and involved in the European Union, the
European Schools, (international) education, politics, history, sociology and culture
studies. It is also highly illuminating for past, present and future generations
of parents, pupils, teachers and governors of the European School or any other
educational establishment.

This book contains 5 summaries in total, with Dutch, French, German and Italian
as tributes to the founders of this first attempt at European cross-cultural cooperation
in the aftermath of WWII.

From 1970 till 1987 Harry van Lingen (°1946) worked as a teacher of English at two grammar
schools in the Netherlands and from 1987 till 2002 at
the European School of Bergen (NL) and Karlsruhe
(DE). During that later period he became fascinated by
the historical, social, cultural and educational context
and uniqueness of the European School.