General News

EUROPEN-PEN INTERNATIONAL is a non-profit association that was established on October 27, 1997. EUROPEN-PEN INTERNATIONAL is the worldwide practice firms network. The network consists of over 7,500 practice enterprises located in schools, colleges, universities, vocational training institutions, companies and training centres in 42 countries around the world, offering cutting-edge practical training to hundreds of thousands of people of all ages every year.

Countries involved in EUROPEN-PEN INTERNATIONAL

The founding members were:

Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, Spain and Switzerland.

Additional members are:

Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, USA.

Mentored countries for future membership:

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Singapore, Morocco, Chile, Kenya, Guinea, Azerbaijan and Turkey.

EUROPEN-PEN INTERNATIONAL Structure
The association has members meetings that take place twice a year in different member countries.
The association has a Managing Committee comprised of Central Office Managers, that change each year on a rotational basis. The association has a Coordination Center which has its seat in Germany and is among other things responsible for the PR and coordination of the various Central Offices.

History of EUROPEN-PEN INTERNATIONAL

EUROPEN-PEN INTERNATIONAL began as a European Project in November 1993. At that time it was financed by the European Social Fund and North-Rhine Westphalia.

The origin of practice firms can be traced back to the 17th century with the help of literature. In the year 1660 Mr. Lerice (citizen of Danzig, Germany) described the commission transactions of the invented businessman named Peter Winst in his book "Commission and Factory". There are other books that explain the philosophy of a practice firm, as for example Mr. Karl F. Barth who wrote the following in 1776: "The teacher lets them choose a sort of action and a trading location....; each one receives fictitious capital, goods or securities..."

These past creations can be looked upon as the predecessors of the current practice firms.