Միայն տեքստ  Տպել | Ուղարկել այս էջը| Գրանցել էջը
British Council home
Dutch children 1945
Read the rest of the story...
1930s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
1940s key dates
1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949

The Second World War saw the forced withdrawal of work in most European countries.  In other parts of the world, massive expansion of the British Council’s work was seen as an important part of the British War effort.  At the request of the Government, centres were set up across the country to provide educational and cultural support to refugees and Allied service personnel.  After the war, these regional offices continued as support centres for students and visitors from other countries.  With the end of the War, European operations were reopened and expanded.  However, annual reductions in Government funding and no decision on the British Council’s long-term future led to the closure of operations in many countries in other parts of the world.

Read the rest of the story of the 1930s and 1940s

1940

Royal Charter granted by King George VI  Read more…

First National Centre for refugees and servicemen from Allied countries opened in London  Read more…

Occupation of most of continental Europe forces the evacuation of staff and suspension of activity in France, the Netherlands, Italy and Romania
Opening of the British Council School in Spain, and new representatives appointed to Cyprus, Turkey, Yugoslavia, Palestine, and other countries in the Middle East and Latin America
Back to the top
1941
Withdrawal from the Balkans: staff evacuated from Greece, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia
Further expansion in Latin America, Northern Europe, and Sub-Saharan Africa
Back to the top
1942
Conference of Allied Ministers of Education in London – the forerunner of UNESCO
Representatives appointed to West Africa and the West Indies at the request of the Colonial Office, and further expansion in the Middle East and Latin America
Back to the top
1943
Allied Centres set up in Egypt and Palestine to provide English teaching for Allied forces in the Middle East
First representative appointed to China, based in the capital Chungking
Start of British Council activity in the USSR
Back to the top
1944
Return to the liberated countries of Europe: British Institute in Greece reopened, and new representatives in France, Belgium and Luxembourg
Back to the top
1945
Resumption of work in Europe, with representatives appointed in Hungary, Czechoslovakia, the USSR, Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Yugoslavia and Italy
Back to the top
1946
Government review recommends a focus on long-term educational and cultural work; films and information work are passed to the Central Office of Information
Reduction of activity in Turkey and the Middle East to fund expansion in Europe
Offices reopened in Poland and Romania
Back to the top
1947
Withdrawal of representatives from the Soviet Union, Romania and from most of  Latin America
First Edinburgh Festival  Read more…
Back to the top
1948
Expansion in East Asia and appointment of representatives in newly-independent India and Pakistan
Back to the top
1949
Reduction in Government grant due to financial difficulties after the War leads to a period of cuts, particularly in Europe and the Middle East
New education policy places priority on training local teachers of English, rather than direct teaching by native speakers
Back to the top

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities.
A registered charity: 209131 (England and Wales) SC037733 (Scotland)
Registered in Singapore as a branch (T09FC0012J) and as a charity (No 0768).
Our privacy and copyright statements.
Our commitment to freedom of information. Double-click for pop-up dictionary.

 Positive About Disabled People Download Browsealoud