Abstract:
Scholarly academies have been in existence for about 350 years, with the oldest being those that were established in Europe in the 17th century. These institutions consist of groups of individuals who are elected by their peers to be members (often called fellows); since the middle of the 19th century, election to the august ranks of most academies has been based on recognition of the outstanding scholarly work done by those proposed for membership. Academies have made the transition from being learned societies to being select groups of eminent scholars who are often widely admired in their countries.
