International Federation for Systems Research

The International Federation for Systems Research (IFSR) is an international federation for global and local societies in the field of systems science. This federation is a non-profit, scientific and educational agency founded in 1981, and constituted of some thirty member organizations from various countries.

Organisation

The overall purpose of the Federation is to advance cybernetic and systems research and systems applications and to serve the international systems community. For this purpose the federation wants to coordinate systems research among member organizations. They are focused on the organization and sponsorship of research and development, international meetings and workshops in the field. More specific the federation wants to develop and promote international programs and publications in the area of systems research and applications.

Other tasks include the development and promotion of:
* Resource materials development in systems education;
* Standards of competence in systems research and systems education;
* A knowledge base in the cybernetic and systems sciences; For its member organizations the federation wants coordinating programs and provides assistance to them.

The IFSR was founded on 12 March 1980, with three members. These were the Society for General Systems Research, now ISSS. Its president, Prof. George Klir became the first president of the IFSR. The Austrian Society for Cybernetic Studies and its president, Prof. Robert Trappl of Austria, became the first vice-president; and the Systeemgroep Nederland or Dutch Systems Group. Its representative, Prof. Gerard de Zeeuw of Netherlands, became the first secretary treasurer. [Gerhard Chroust, [http://ercim-news.ercim.org/content/view/127/275/ "25 Years of the IFSR: A Milestone in the Systems Sciences"] , retrieved 16 April 2008.]

Member organizations

The IFSR coordinates efforts between some 25 systems science member organizations world wide. [ [http://www.ifsr.org/members/ Listing of 25 member organizations] IFSR, 2007.] Some of those members are:
* American Society for Cybernetics, USA
* Australia and New Zealand Systems Group (ANZSYS)
* Cybernetics Society London, U.K.
* International Society for the Systems Sciences, USA
* International Systems Institute, USA, California, San Francisco
* Management Science Society of Ireland
* MSSI - The Management Science Society of Ireland
* Dutch Systems Group, The Netherlands
* United Kingdom Systems Society, U.K.

Journal and bookseries

* "Systems Research and Behavioral Science" This IFSR Journal is initiated in 1984 and aims to stimulate disciplined inquiry and provides transdisciplinary focus for the exchange of ideas and knowledge; relating to the analysis, design, development, and management of systems and programs.
* "International Series on Systems Science and Engineering"This IFSR Book Series provides a publication avenue for high quality systems literature. Prof. George Klir at State University New York, Binghamton is the editor of the book series.

Past presidents

More prominent system scientists have been officers of the IFSR since 1980 [ http://www.ifsr.org/Flyer_emcsr_20060115.pdf ] . Presidents of the federation were:
* 1980: George J. Klir
* 1986: Robert Trappl
* 1988: Gerrit Broekstra
* 1992: Gerard de Zeeuw
* 1994: Bela H. Banathy
* 1996: Michael C. Jackson
* 2000: Yong Pil Rhee
* 2002: Jifa Gu

References

See also

* List of systems science organizations

External links

* [http://www.ifsr.org/ Homepage] IFSR
* [http://ercim-news.ercim.org/content/view/127/275/ Article] "25 Years of the IFSR: A Milestone in the Systems Sciences", by Gerhard Chroust.