About EAPRIL

EAPRIL was founded in 2009 in order to recognise and promote practice-based and practitioner research (PBPR) on learning in schools as well as in the workplace.

Mission Statement

The mission of EAPRIL is to improve learning and professional development in a variety of contexts by promoting practice-based research. EAPRIL supports all research that has significant impact for learners and practitioners by bridging the worlds of practice, research and policy.

EAPRIL offers a platform for all sorts of practice-based researchers, practitioners and policy makers to discuss, develop and share their research and practices. The association, therefore, consists of an extensive network of researchers, practitioners, policy makers, and students from a wide range of sectors and in various stages of their careers.

EAPRIL is unique as a supportive community for both researchers, practitioners and policy makers. The association encourages members to constructively support each other on improving learning and professional development. The international collective of researchers, practitioners and policy makers from all professional backgrounds offers opportunities for collaboration, innovation and (policy) development in both practice and research methodology.

Statement of the EAPRIL Board

A former member of EAPRIL, whose name we cannot disclose due to GDPR guidelines, was recently convicted of sexually abusing a student at a non-EAPRIL conference. This news has left us in a state of profound anguish and disbelief.

Such conduct contravenes the values that EAPRIL stands for. The EAPRIL Board has been investigating this matter and has found no instances of any criminal behaviour occuring during any of our conferences or activities. The individual who was convicted following their actions whilst working for another organisation has been withdrawn from EAPRIL and there will be no further co-operation.

Everyone working for or on behalf of EAPRIL is expected to adhere to the highest ethical standards, and all community members should feel comfortable engaging in conversation with any Board member. The very principle of EAPRIL is that people connect freely, unrestrictedly, and without fear in order to develop our field's research together.

EAPRIL is developing an enhanced protocol through which any safeguarding matter raised by any member will be escalated via agreed channels and managed by the Board.

A short history of EAPRIL

In 2006, the first Practice-based and Practitioner Research conference was organised in Leuven, by EARLI (the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction). After the success of this first conference, two other conferences were organised, which finally led to the formal installation of EAPRIL in 2009, the European Association for Practitioner Research on Improving Learning. Since then, EAPRIL has experienced an expansive growth in terms of members and conference participants. In 2014, the merge with the former European Training and Development Federation welcomed research on learning and development in organisations. Furthermore, new activities were launched over the past years which increased learning and networking opportunities for members, e.g. school visits, Cloud activities, corporate learning case studies, and much more.

Read more about EAPRIL's history