BESA Timeline

Caroline Wright to become Director General in July 2016, with Patrick Hayes joining as her Director

BESA members’ recorded turnover exceeds £2billion for the first time.

BESA involved in creation of the Education World Forum, which in 2016 attracted 82 ministers worldwide

BESA starts the All Party Parliamentary Group for Education with cross-party support And BESA 75th Anniversary

BESA starts BES Dubai as the precursor to GESS Dubai, the main educational event serving the Gulf region

Successfully took the BBC to Europe over BBC Jam as illegal state aid.

Achieved £500million + e-learning credits to support the ed-tech industry.

Ran Digital Learning Alliance campaign against the BBC proposal for a Digital Curriculum, supporting members in successful judicial review of BBC.

Observed educational furniture was built based on pupil sizes in 1960s. Started process to create a new European standard for educational furniture: EN1729.

Judicially reviewed YPO as representative of public purchasing consortia to achieve a level playing field for public & private sector suppliers.

British Educational Equipment Association rebrands as British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA)

Introduced the Education Show - BESA’s promise to ministers to help schools become ‘informed purchasers’ under LMS in the ’88 Act

Working with UK companies / banks to create the Turkish Universities Project, re-equipping 33 Turkish unis with UK equipment valued at £67million.

Working with govt to encourage inclusion in 1988 Education Reform Act of aspects of ‘local mgmt of schools’ & ‘curriculum’ that support the industry.

Bett launched as the High Technology & Computers in Education Exhibition, by DG Dominic Savage & Timothy Collins.

First full-time DG appointed recognising an ever complicating political environment.

Name change to Educational Equipment Association as industry recognised that its trade body needed to embrace a lobbying role.

Educational Exhibitors Association (EEA) formed to provide UK exhibitions so teachers could access assessing books, teaching aids & equipment.