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Affiliate Organizations

In order to foster international collaboration and exchanges in mathematics education, the ICMI organizational outreach has for many years included international and multi-national organizations with interest in mathematics education, each operating in ways consistent with the aims and values of the Commission. Opportunities have evolved over time for organizations to formalize their links with ICMI. Before 2009, ICMI recognized links with International Study Groups and ICMI regional conferences. With the revision of its Terms of Reference made in 2009, ICMI introduced the notion of affiliation to ICMI of multi-national organizations active in mathematics education.

Types of ICMI Affiliate Organizations

To clarify the formal links that mathematics education organizations may have with ICMI, two types of ICMI Affiliate Organizations are now recognized:

  • Thematic Affiliate Organizations have an international network with specific thematic interests related to mathematics education.
  • Regional Affiliate Organizations have a regional scope (i.e., are active in several countries forming a geographical or linguistic region), with broad interests related to mathematics education.

Expectations and Benefits of ICMI Affiliation

ICMI Affiliate Organizations are independent from the Commission, being neither appointed by ICMI nor operating on behalf or under the control of ICMI, and they are self-financed. However, in certain circumstances Regional Affiliate Organizations may apply to ICMI for limited funding to support participation of delegates from developing countries. Details and application form are available here.

ICMI Affiliate Organizations produce a brief annual report on their activities for the ICMI annual report and a quadrennial report to be presented to the General Assembly of ICMI. They are offered a place in the program of each quadrennial ICME for the purpose of promoting the work of their organizations and raising awareness of their contributions to mathematics education. Where there is a conference attached to an Affiliate Organization, preparation of a short report of the conference is invited for publication in the ICMI Newsletter.
ICMI appoints members of its Executive Committee to act as a liaison between each Affiliate Organization and the EC.
Affiliation may be terminated by decision of the ICMI Executive Committee, or by request of the Affiliate Organization. How to apply to be recognized as an ICMI Affiliate Organization is explained at the bottom of this page.

The ICMI Thematic Affiliate Organizations and Regional Affiliate Organizations have very different historical and organizational backgrounds. They are listed below with their year of affiliation.

Thematic Affiliate Organizations

The following ICMI Affiliate Organizations have an international network with specific thematic interests related to mathematics education.

  • IGPME: The International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (1976)
  • HPM: The International Study Group on the Relations between the History and Pedagogy of Mathematics (1976)
  • IOWME: The International Organization of Women and Mathematics Education (1987)
  • WFNMC: The World Federation of National Mathematics Competitions (1994)
  • ICTMA: The International Study Group for Mathematical Modelling and Applications (2003)
  • CIEAEM: International Commission for the Study and Improvement of Mathematics Teaching (2010)
  • MCG: The International Group for Mathematical Creativity and Giftedness (2011)
  • ISDDE: International Society for Design and Development in Education (2017)
  • ISGEm: The International Study Group for Ethnomathematics (2024)

Regional Affiliate Organizations

The following ICMI Affiliate Organizations have a regional scope (i.e., are active in more than one country), typically with broad interests related to mathematics education.

  • ADiMA – Association Africaine de Didactique des Mathématiques  / African Association of  Mathematics Didactics (2019)
  • AFRICMA – African Mathematical Education Association (2023) (AFRICME (the AFRICME conferences are listed under Regional Conferences)
  • CIAEM/ IACME – Comité Interamericano de Educación Matemática / Inter-American Committee on Mathematical Education (2009)
  • CIBEM – Congresso Iberoamericano de Educação Matemática / Iberoamerican Congress of Mathematics Education (CIBEM) (2020) (listed under Regional Conferences)
  • EARCOME – East Asia Regional Conferences in Mathematics Education (1998) (listed under Regional Conferences)
  • EMF – Espace Mathématique Francophone / French-speaking Mathematics Space (2003)
  • ERME: European Society for Research in Mathematics Education (2010)
  • MERGA: Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (2011)

 

Applying for ICMI Affiliate Organization Status


An application to be recognized as an ICMI Affiliate Organization should be submitted to the ICMI Secretary General via email. The application should address three criteria to demonstrate that the organization:

(1) has aims that align with ICMI’s aims and values (see https://www.mathunion.org/icmi);

(2) has either (a) a broad international network with specific thematic interests related to mathematics education (for Thematic Affiliate Organizations) or (b) regional scope, being active in more than one country (for Regional Affiliate Organizations), and pursues broad interests related to mathematics education;

(3) is self-financed, has an organizational structure and governance arrangements (e.g., with terms of reference, statutes, a constitution or by-laws, etc.) that support the organization’s sustainability and the quality of its activities.

The application should state the name and contact details of the person responsible for its submission, together with the URL of the organization’s website or similar information that will allow ICMI EC members to view the scope of its activities.