This introduction to a collection of articles on the status of the relationship among educational research, policy, and practice in countries around the world notes that, while research findings influence the development of pressures for change in educational policies and practices, the policy-makers and practitioners, in their turn, influence the kinds and quality of research conducted. These mutual influences make it essential for researchers, policy-makers, and practitioners to interact more closely so that each may be more responsive to the requirements and perspectives of the others. With this concern in mind, the editors of this collection requested contributions that would provide descriptive accounts of the organizations responsible for research and development in various countries, indicating how and why they were established, why they have flourished or declined, how their work is funded, and how their priorities are determined. Contributors were also invited to identify issues of concern. Among the major themes that emerged in the contributions were the remarkable growth in research in the last 25 years, the increasing centralization and control of research, and the development of new paradigms for research. (PGD)