The World Council of Comparative Education Societies (WCCES) was first conceptualized by Joseph Katz of the University of British Columbia and a handful of other comparative education scholars in the 1960s. It was formally established in 1970 during the first World Congress held in Ottawa, Canada as the World Council of Comparative Education, and a year later the name was changed to its present status.

The WCCES serves as an umbrella organization comprised of comparative education societies and UNESCO. Beginning with only five comparative education society members in 1970, the Council has grown to 36 constituent member societies in2007 and 47 in 2015. Most members are national comparative education societies, but some are organized around global regions (e.g., Australian and New Zealand Comparative and International Education Society) and languages (e.g., Association Francophone d'éducation Comparée). 

The Council has retained its original organizational structure and overall purpose since it was first organized in 1970. The WCCES leadership is comprised of five officers, namely the President, Secretary-General, Treasurer, and two Vice Presidents. Member societies have single representation within WCCES on the Executive Committee. UNESCO has also traditionally had representation on the Executive Committee. Additional leadership roles have been formed over the years, including the organization of standing committees around various themes related to specific Council-sponsored projects and activities (e.g.,publications, finances, and special projects). The Historian role was added inthe 1990s, with Vandra Masemann serving as the Council’s first Historian. A WCCES historical archive was established and originally housed by Kent State University until 2014, when the WCCES Archive was transferred to the University of Pittsburgh.

At best, the Council has maintained a loosely-coupled organizational structure, where the traditional physical home or Secretariat of the Council has been at the same location as where the Secretary-General resided. The first Secretariat was housed at the University of Ottawa, Canada, and afterwards at several different locations, including the UNESCO International Bureau of Education in Geneva, Switzerland; Institute of Education at the University College London,UK; and Comparative Education Research Centre at the University of HongKong. 

World Congresses are generally held once every three years, and rotate locations. Fifteen congresses have been held since the original meeting in Ottawa. In August 2016, the 16th World Congress will be held at Beijing Normal University in China.