At the time of the first issue of the online EIBA-zine, it might be interesting to refer briefly to the first stenciled EIBA-Newsletter that was sent out in May 1978, even though the organization itself had been launched 4 years earlier in 1974. The first issue of the EIBA Newsletter which appeared until 2002 consisted of 20 pages, of which no less than 12 were announcements of papers published by the universities and research centers of its members.

The Newsletter was proud to mention that at the 1977 Conference in Uppsala "no less than 42 research papers were presented during 2 1/2 days meeting. The number of participants was 88, 44 of which came from 16 countries, not including Sweden".

In the introductory note to the 1978 Newsletter, signed by Hans-Günther Meissner and Sylvain Plasschaert as President and Vice-President it is stated that: "It is clear that in order to realize such an ambitious (publication) program, we need the full cooperation of all EIBA members. May we therefore ask you to send us all the material you deem relevant, including criticisms and comments."

We would like to repeat this request. As communications have improved enormously since 1978, we count on your immediate reactions to past and future EIBA events as well as the announcements of activities and publications of relevance to your colleagues. We would also like EIBA-zine to be used as a discussion platform for particular research and educational issues especially from an interdisciplinary angle. Also EIBA-zine offers the possibility to focus on specific research teams and individuals who have influenced our discipline.

As already stated implicitly in 1978, a Newsletter should be made by its members for its members about topics, persons, publications, events that might interest our interdisciplinary membership.

Danny Van Den Bulcke
Editor-in-Chief

Tamar Almor
Editor