The Teaching Commission has basically three purposes:

• First a disciplinary purpose: to assist in the better and more informed teaching of history of science as a subject in universities, and in high schools where appropriate.

This goal can be achieved by advertising teaching materials, books, web sites, holding symposia and conferences on teaching history of science, etc. An important part of this function will be served by better and more sophisticated use of web communication, for instance by trying to link together the ‘Teaching Committees’ of the different national History of Science societies and associations, so that those inquiring to one committee can see links to our central DHST Teaching Division web site.

• Second a service purpose: to promote the utilisation of history of science in university and school science courses, and in programmes for the preparation of science teachers.

This goal can also be achieved by advertising curricular materials especially national statements such as are found in the US Science Education Standards and the Norwegian Education Framework, bringing HPS&ST books and appropriate web sites to the attention of science teachers and teacher educators, holding symposia and conferences on teaching history of science, maintaining a web site listing all relevant research literature and reports pertaining to the teaching of history of science, etc. Again there are a number of national HPS&ST associations, and sub-groups within larger science education associations, that can be linked together on the web and hence back to our Teaching Commission website.

• Third a cultural purpose: to show that the history of science can contribute positively to better understanding of some of the major issues concerning contemporary cultural conflict, multiculturalism and globalisation.

Re-examination of the European Enlightenment and the contemporary appraisal of its core arguments is clearly one component of this cultural purpose that the Teaching Commision can promote.