How national societies can influence at the national level suitable policies

for mathematics?

Prof. Dr. Günter Törner 19.04.23

19.04.23Prof. Dr. Günter Törner

Excellent research in main fields of mathematics and visibility of national authors in international journals as well

conferences.

1. Necessary, but not sufficient

19.04.23Prof. Dr. Günter Törner

Regard mathematics education as a mathematical subdomain, something like ‘applied mathematics’ with

interdisciplinary features, with nontrivial problems and non-canonical solutions.

2. Mathematics education

19.04.23Prof. Dr. Günter Törner

Mathematics education requires appreciation and acknowledgement, last not least support from the

mathematicians.

3. Support

19.04.23Prof. Dr. Günter Törner

The personal in mathematics education is as good as the mathematicians let them be qualified. As soon as the

mathematics educators are not supported the mathematics community, they will build coalitions with professors from

faculties of education, we are loosing valuable influence on the relevant research topics; consider whether it is possible to

offer them a special PhD title.

4. Staff

19.04.23Prof. Dr. Günter Törner

Encourage mathematics educators to publish results in English! Seek contacts to the Committee of Education in

EMS; please invite them to get in contact with your national boards.

5. English as a research language

19.04.23Prof. Dr. Günter Törner

a.ME is integrated in your society, why not offer the mathematics educators a permanent seat in your EC? Highly recommended!

b.ME is represented by a separate learned society: Then you should have joint declarations, discussion boards, also a joint conference after 3-4 years, joint commissions on questions of teacher education, the transition problem as well as curriculum.

6. Mathematics education and your national math community

19.04.23Prof. Dr. Günter Törner

In case of political declarations, there should be only ONE voice in a country.

7. ‘Voice of mathematics’

19.04.23Prof. Dr. Günter Törner

We should be aware (even in Germany) that our mathematical societies need partners since the math

learned society/ies are not large enough to have sufficient influence; e.g. often the learned society of physicists have comparable goals, hence we are friendly communicating,

sending invitations to our meetings and inform them about our agenda of our meetings.

8. Think bigger

19.04.23Prof. Dr. Günter Törner

We should be aware (even in Germany) that mathematics and mathematics education needs friends, e.g. sponsoring by

foundations and NGO etc.

9. FoME – Friends of mathematics education

19.04.23Prof. Dr. Günter Törner

Contacts are often lived by persons, not primarily by institutions. Thus, usually there is a change of persons, try to

convince the new personal to continue. Invite your cooperating partners to a dinner at the previous evening of

your annual conference.

10. Humans, not only organisations should cooperate

19.04.23Prof. Dr. Günter Törner

Thank you

10. Humans, not only organisations should cooperate