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News & Notices

Minutes of 72nd Meeting of Bureau
11-12 August 1999, Berlin, Germany


13. Vice Presidential Critical Assessment
> Read Vice President's critical Assessment - 1999

Dr. Hayes noted that his VPCA should be viewed as being complementary to Prof. Jortner's. Where Prof. Jortner had focussed on the Divisions and the management of the Union's scientific work, Dr. Hayes described his focus as being on the Standing Committees and the relationship of IUPAC with other organizations, especially industry and national chemical societies. As a first step to implementing a closer relationship with the chemical industry, Dr. Hayes reported on a visit he and the Executive Director had made to the Executive Directors meeting of the International Council of Chemical Associations, an association of Chemical Industry Trade Associations. His message to the group was that while IUPAC could not and did not want to represent the industry at the global level, IUPAC could provide good scientific information in areas of concern to the industry on a global level.
Dr. Hayes then requested that the Bureau approve a proposal to create an ad hoc Committee on the Relationship of IUPAC and the Global Chemical Industry. This ad hoc Committee would study the following issues:

  • How can IUPAC attract more industrial participation?
  • What will it take to persuade managers to allow more participation by their scientists?
  • How should IUPAC manage its relationship with the global chemical industry?
  • What is the role of COCI?

Prof. Fischli reminded the Bureau that of all the ICSU Unions, only IUPAC has an industrial component. This is an important part of IUPAC and must be maintained and improved. Dr. Miyamoto noted that the ICCA had asked for advice from Division VI on the definitions to be used for the properties of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Prof. Gilbert noted that the value of IUPAC work to industry needs to be better documented. Division IV has proposed industrial value as one of the Retrospective Evaluation Criteria.
The Bureau approved the proposal of the Vice President that an ad hoc Committee be formed.
Dr. Hayes then discussed the relationship of the Union with the national chemical societies that were not NAOs. He proposed that an annual meeting be organized, building on the current meeting of chemical society Presidents convened by the host chemical society for the IUPAC Congress. A World Leadership Conference on Chemistry would also include leaders of chemical industry associations and regional chemical society federations. The purpose of such a meeting would be to discuss how the participants could work together and foster collaboration on projects of global significance. Dr. Grzywa noted that he had organized a high level meeting of European Chemical Societies and chemical industry. The discussion at the meeting had been good, but there had been little activity on implementation of the ideas discussed.
Prof. Jortner then asked what the general sense was on this proposal. The Bureau encouraged Dr. Hayes to pursue this concept.
Dr. Hayes briefly reviewed the proposal in his VPCA to designate COCI, CHEMRAWN, and CTC as operational committees. This would draw a distinction between these committees and the other Standing Committees which were advisory committees to the Bureau. The Bureau recommended that the Council approve this proposal. Discussion of the proposals regarding the education activities of the Union was postponed to Item 14.
Dr. Hayes then noted that the review of IUPAC interaction with UN agencies was still in progress. He informed the Bureau that he would be pursuing this question with the UNESCO representative at the meeting of the International Chemistry Council next week. Dr. Hayes concluded by thanking all those who had provided essential input for his VPCA.


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