The project started within the European Political Science Network (epsNet), an organization dedicated for the advancement of political science teaching. We organized the first epsNet workshop on 18 June 2004 during annual epsNet conference in Prague. Fifteen young University teachers from different European countries participated in the workshop, which consisted of three lectures and an enthusiastic discussion about the participants’ teaching-related problems. Ladislav Kvasz from Comenius University, Lori Thorlakson from Nottingham University, and Jan Vihan from Cambridge/Harvard University held the introductory lectures.

The second epsNet workshop took place on 18 June 2005 at the annual epsNet conference in Paris. EpsNet supported 13 PhD students to participate at the workshop. Karen Henderson from Leicester University, Matyas Szabo from Central European University and Martin Plesch from the Slovak Academy of Sciences acted as lecturers. About 30 people listened to their lectures and involved in the fierily discussion.

The third epsNet workshop and training took place on 17 June 2006 during the epsNet annual conference in Budapest . First session was focused on the issues of motivation and the second one on supervision. Again, several experienced teachers promoted the discussion about both topics, namely Juraj Hvorecký from Philosophy Institute, Prague, Markéta Rulíková from Colby-Sawyer College, New Hampshire, Joanna Renc-Roe and Paul Roe from the Central European University in Budapest.

The fourth epsNet training was organized on 22-23 June 2007 during the epsNet annual conference in Ljubljana. It focused on two teaching issues: 1) Essay writing: How to teach students to write a good essay? and 2) Practical illustration to theory: What brings theory to a closer understanding for students? Experienced teachers who presented their contributions during the training were: Neil Collins, University College Cork, Ireland (teaching theory) and Petra Roter, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia (teaching academic writing). The training consisted of 4 workshops.

Meanwhile the Slovak PhD Students’ Association (ADS) organized its first training in January and February 2006 in Bratislava,which was attended by more than 80 PhD students from all disciplines.

In 2007 doktorat.at and ADS prepared two trainings for first-time university teachers: the first one took place in Bratislava in 15-16 January 2007. The second training was held in Vienna between 11-12 September 2007.

The group’s association with the European Consortium for Political Science (ECPR) started in 2009. During the ECPR plenary conference in Potsdam, we organized a panel, Introducing IT to Facilitate Engagement and Interaction in Undergraduate Politics Courses. Teaching and Learning Politics has been formally granted Standing Group status on 11 April 2011. Two panels were convened at the Reykjavik conference: Advancing Political Science Education in Europe. How can ECPR Support their Members in their Work as Political Science Teachers and  How to Get published about Teaching and Student Learning.

Our inaugural Teaching and Learning Summer School was held in Piestany, Slovakia between 22-30 July 2012. Since then we organize summer schools bi-annually.