Introduction
by
Dominic Savage OBE,
Director General, BESA
BESA's oldest member will soon be celebrating its simply supplier-customer and why, over the years,
bicentenary. That the industry which BESA serves BESA has contributed to the widest of educational
has its origins in the industrial revolution is a debates as our system has changed. When I started
surprise to many. So too is the recognition that BETT in 1985, BESA had virtually no ICT members,
many members were founded, and are still often so we are also used to operating outside our
led, by former teachers; drawn into the industry comfort zone.
because of a deep-rooted belief that their ideas for
products could support the development or This Commission has continued the tradition that
improvement of some aspect of learning. we try to keep a step ahead and to take the long
view. Our contributors clearly valued the open-
When the Association was formed in 1933 it was ended nature of our approach which has fed the
with an enthusiastic band of equipment diverse range of recommendations. Charting the
manufacturers and the strong support of the NUT; history of education throughout the Association's
for the Educational Exhibitors Association, as we 75 years adds to the understanding of the current
were originally titled, grew from a desire to position of the education system and therefore of
strengthen the links between teachers and the how it can be moved forward. We will have
industry through local opportunities to see, test, achieved our objective of a positive legacy from our
compare and discuss the teaching aids which were 75th year if the Commission's recommendations
being brought to market. are acted upon, with BESA and its members ready
to play their part.
The process of product development in education
is also not well understood. BESA members tend to I would like to thank Charles Clarke for chairing
have wide networks of schools who trial and assess the Commission and indeed all the contributors for
new products and are indeed often very influential their input, whether online, on paper or in person.
in how they finally appear. The cost of developing
new products is significant, potentially millions of
pounds in the case of major ICT products.
Against this background it may be clearer why the
Association and its members have always had a
more complex relationship with education than
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