IIW History 1990-2015

thrust of regional activities to encourage young engineers to attend conferences through the introduction of lower registration fees. IIW, to its credit, also actively supported measures to increase involvement by young people through better promotion to universities. 30 DVS in particular, having observed over the last decade that the number of personal members had decreased significantly from year to year, was of the conclusion that new blood was needed urgently. 31 To address this situation, DVS implemented changes, mainly within its own jurisdiction, which would act as a model within IIW for individual member countries to promote the recruitment of young professionals and provide incentives to attend Annual Assemblies and International Conferences, as well as to take part in Working Units. Starting this activity in 2009, by offering assistance in attending the 62nd Annual Assembly and Conference in Singapore, the initial results were quite encouraging since it provided the opportunity for young graduates to expand their knowledge of joining technology and to present papers to an international audience. In doing so young engineering graduates had the opportunity to discuss the technical content of their papers directly with luminaries they had known only by reputation before. It was along these lines that DVS was to argue persuasively for a reduction in registration fees for the younger generation to attend IIW events. At the 63rd Annual Assembly in Istanbul in 2010, 25 papers were presented by young professionals to different IIWWorking Units and three to the International Conference itself, resulting in five of these papers subsequently being proposed for publication in Welding in the World. By sponsoring young professionals in this way the personal membership of DVS increased significantly in 2011. 32 Primarily a DVS concept, it had immediate application in emerging countries where a large proportion of the population was below the age of 35 years. From this point on, it has been quite noticeable that the level of young people from emerging nations attending and participating in IIW conferences, congresses, colloquia and making poster presentations has risen significantly.

From left, R. Srinivasan, Arun Bhaduri and Parimal Biswas of the Indian Institute of Welding who play significant roles in the development of welding and IIW in India

EMERGING NATIONS