"The proposed project is an interdisciplinary theoretical investigation in the field of comparative education studies. The main purpose is to create a knowledge base intended to contribute to our understanding of education systems across cultures, under the conditions created by the Europeanisation and globalisation of education policy.These novel conditions indicate that it is time to improve our theoretical and methodological tools in Comparative Education, and allow for the production of new knowledge in this field. In attempting to do so, the project sets three main objectives: to generate a new theoretical understanding of education systems as social institutions; to produce an original account of the epistemological background of educational comparison; to propose a theoretical approach with regard to the comparability of education systems, now increasingly subject to transnational forms of policy making. To achieve these objectives the project will: theorise on the instituting of education systems, drawing on a variety of disciplines; engage with cross-historical and cross-cultural inquiry into the genesis and expansion of education systems and of educational comparison in Europe; apply its theoretical approach and develop it further through this inquiry.The proposal coordinator has considerable research and teaching experience in this field. The IEF, as outlined in 2011 Work Programme, will give him the opportunity for competence development in theoretical and interdisciplinary research which will enable him later on to make original contributions to the field. Moreover, the IEF will assist him to achieve a senior position at his home institution and establish his own research centre in Comparative Education.The researcher will be hosted by Humboldt University, which, due to the cutting-edge theoretical work of Jürgen Schriewer in the field, is perhaps the best and certainly the most appropriate place to carry out this project."