History of IOSCVP

In 2000, the Observatory was initiated thanks to funding from the European Commission Connect FR03 project on school violence. It was following a meeting in Maastricht where the main researchers about the phenomenon of violence in school context concluded some aspects: on the one hand, situations were very different from one European region to another and, on the other hand, there was an uneasiness among teachers who thought that their professional status was made worse by the management of conflict situations. In addition, it was realized that no one used the same definition of violence and as a result, studies carried out in the field could not be compared and consequently the respective situations.

Then, during a scientific council in 2004 that took place in Brasilia, it was decided, on the impulse of Professor Éric Debarbieux, to create the International Observatory since the study approach carried out by Prof. Éric Debarbieux and Prof. Cathérine Blaya had focused on the outside Europe. The initial focus of the Observatory and the 18 nations that joined together in this effort was school violence prevention research. In addition to organizing international research meeting (every two years), the Observatory founded a journal. 

The International Observatory of Violence in Schools was officially declared as an Association governed by the French « Law of 1901 » on the articles and rules applicable to Associations. It therefore has official legal status (financial management, official membership, power to convene General Assemblies, etc.).

In 2018, the name changed, including “school climate”. Prof. Cathérine Blaya and Prof. Rosario Ortega-Ruiz left the Presidency and the Observatory’s moved to Flinders University, South West Australia. The new co-presidents were Prof. Jonathan Cohen and Prof. Grace Skrzypiec. After two years at Flinders University the Observatory moved to the Universidad de Sevilla, Spain. During this time, it has been co-led by Prof. Jonathan Cohen and Prof. Rosario Del Rey. Since 2023, the co-presidency has changed, currently being held by Prof. Rosario Del Rey and Prof. Verónica López (PUCV, Chile).