IUSSP Council meets in Paris

Aubervilliers, France, 22-23 May 2023

The IUSSP Council held its annual council meeting 22-23 May at the IUSSP Secretariat headquarters at the French Institute for Demographic Studies (INED) on the Condorcet Campus in Aubervilliers, just north of Paris. This is first time since before the Covid pandemic started that the IUSSP Council meeting has been held in Paris and the first time at INED’s  new building. 

Council members reviewed 2022 activities and finances and approved the final 2022 accounts which all members can consult in the 2022 Annual Report on the IUSSP website. They also reviewed recent and upcoming activities and approved the IUSSP’s working budget for 2023. While no new panels were approved at this meeting, the Panel on International Migration was renewed for a new mandate, and ideas for new panels were discussed. if you have an idea for a new panel, you can submit a proposal anytime for consideration by the Council. 

At the top of the agenda was a discussion of membership trends and how to best attract and retain new members. The cancellation of the in-person IPC2021 in Hyderabad and its conversion to a virtual format resulted in a significant drop in new and returning members who would normally have joined in the year of the conference.  Council members will be reaching out to colleagues to encourage them to become members or rejoin the Union.  

The Council revisited registration fees for the International Population Conference and decided to set membership fee rates at levels that ensure those who maintain their membership between conferences pay significantly less overall in dues and conference fees to attend than those who only join in the year of the conference.  We remind all members that there is an option to pay for multiple years at a discount and those who decide to renew this year for 4 years will qualify for the reduced conference registration rate for “loyal” members for IPC2025.  For all those reading this bulletin, do encourage your colleagues and students (for whom membership is free) to join the Union.

The Council also reviewed developments for the 2025 International Population Conference in Brisbane, started thinking about the 2029 IPC, and discussed more general developments in the field and activities of the regional population associations, and other institutions in the field. 

The in-person meeting was also an opportunity for Council members to socialize, network with researchers at INED and do some siteseeing in Paris.  While most Council meetings and business are conducted virtually, in-person meetings over several days allow the Council time for more in-depth discussions and an opportunity to get to know their fellow Council members better – all important for furthering the work of IUSSP.