International Commission on Mathematical Instruction

The International Commission on Mathematical Instruction (ICMI) is an international organisation with a focus on mathematics education. ICMI was founded in 1908 at the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) in Rome.

History

ICMI was founded at the International Congress of Mathematicians, and mathematician Felix Klein was elected first president of the organisation. Henri Fehr and Charles Laisant created the international research journal L'Enseignement Mathématique in 1899, and early on this journal became the official organ of ICMI. A bulletin is published twice a year by ICMI, and from December 1995 this bulletin has been available at the organisation's official website.

In the years between World War I and World War II there was little activity in the organisation, but in 1952 ICMI was reconstituted. At this time the organisation was reorganised, and it became an official commission of the International Mathematical Union (IMU). As a scientific organisation, IMU is a member of the International Council for Science (ICSU). Although ICMI follows some of the general principles of IMU and ICSU, the organisation has a large degree of autonomy.

tructure

All countries that are members of IMU are automatically members of ICMI; membership is also possible for non-IMU members. Currently, there are 72 member states of ICMI. Each member state has the right to appoint a national representative.

As a commission, ICMI has two main bodies:

* the Executive Committee (EC), and
* the national representatives from the member countries.

Together, these two constitute the general assembly of ICMI. The general assembly is summoned every four years in connection with the International Congress on Mathematical Education, ICME. The executive committee is appointed by the general assembly of IMU for four-year terms.

External links

* [http://www.mathunion.org/ICMI/ The official ICMI website]
* [http://www.mathunion.org/ IMU]
* [http://www.icsu.org/index.php ICSU]