The CIB Board held an open consultative meeting with CIB Coordinators of CIB’s Working Commissions and Task Groups. The session was extremely well attended despite the difficult time of day particularly for those in Australia and New Zealand.
Discussion
Most Coordinators are on the Scientific Committee for the World Building Congress WBC2025 and heavily involved in the planning processes and approval of papers, so the discussion focused on other matters including:
- Improving the Board’s consultative processes with Coordinators.
- Ensuring all categories of membership are valued.
- Achieving a broader representation of leadership from the membership and more candidates for Coordinators.
- Strategies to promote CIB membership, including working with Coordinators and Commission members. More promotional material for Coordinators and Commission members is required.
- Ensuring that people signing up for Commissions are willing and able to make meaningful contributions. ECRs are motivated to be active in CIB to support their career development by creating an international network. The value in creating opportunities for younger members and ensuring their engagement contributes to the continuity and legacy of Commissions.
- Acknowledgement of the challenges for universities around the world, including convincing senior management of the value of CIB membership. The landscape has changed for many in different parts of the world – the value attached to built environment, time commitments, academia, engagement have all shifted. We need better engagement with Schools of Architecture.
- The importance of research assessment frameworks for universities and how involvement in CIB supports eg impact statements. Global recognition and distinction matters to many universities.
- What makes an “active” Commission? Coordinators and Board members were invited to share their thoughts for a future discussion, not least to help others who may be struggling.
- Can CIB activate more Task Groups to address new themes over a relatively short period of time, say 1-3 years?
- Can CIB consider a fee scale which accounts for different sizes of organisation?
Note this is a record of the discussion and not an agreed action list strategy. These will follow over a period of time as the Programme Committee and Board consider ideas and proposals. As can be seen the discussion was wide-ranging and positive, whilst not shirking from challenging and even existential issues for CIB and its Commissions.
Summing up
In summing up, CIB’s Programme Committee Chair Kim Haugbölle proposed a summary of initial actions as follows:
- Board commitment to improved consultation on matters that directly affect Coordinators
- Plans for recurrent meetings of this kind
- CIB’s Programme Committee to continue with its bi-annual meetings with Coordinators
- CIB’s Membership & Communications Committee to hold a meeting on value propositions with Coordinators
- More collateral for Coordinators to promote value of CIB to stakeholders
- Improved focus on impact for CIB and Commissions
- Coordinators to respond on what makes an active Commission.
The CIB President Mark Hastak and Vice President Ron Wakefield thanked everyone for their participation in the consultative meeting with CIB coordinators, and we look forward to follow-up actions and similar sessions on a regular basis in the future.
