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Systems Sciences (523 members)

The International Society for the Systems Sciences is devoted to interdisciplinary inquiry into the nature of complex systems. Initially conceived in 1954 by Ludwig von Bertalanffy, Kenneth Boulding, Ralph Gerard, and Anatol Rapoport, the Society for General Systems Research became the ISSS in 1988.

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The International Federation for Systems Research (IFSR) is the peak body of the systems community. It is a virtual platform that convenes and facilitates the rich academic tradition not only but primarily of system sciences, cybernetics and complexity theory as a basis and the many vivid practices and applications set out to meet the challenges of the Anthropocene in the 21st century. – Be part of the whole!

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Systems Change starts here

Meeting the complexity of the 21st century and the challenges of the Anthropocene makes system thinking inevitable.

Systems Sciences and cybernetics comprise a holistic and integrated paradigm that overcomes the thinking which created the global challenges we are facing today. It allows for a different perception of the dynamics of the world and provides smarter and truly sustainable solutions.
When the IFSR was founded 1981 it aspired to unite the world of systems sciences to meet the challenges of the 20th century, to learn from the catastrophise of the world wars, the conflicts of the cold war, and preparing to meet the daunting ecological threats being addressed in the report to the Club of Rome.

Systems Sciences and cybernetics have always collaborated as a community spearheading new thinking, advancing not only sciences and theory but also technology and practice.
Today the IFSR reaches far beyond pure academic institutions; it brings together all people who understood that new solutions need new thinking for a thrivable world.

Be part of the whole!

Executive Committee 2024/2026

President: Ray Ison (Australia)
Secretary General: Louis Klein (Germany)
VP: Pamela Buckle (Canada, USA)
VP: Nam Nguyen (Vietnam, Australia)
VP: Rika Preiser (South Africa)
VP: Philippe Vandenbroeck (Belgium)

Past presidents

1980: George J. Klir
1984: Robert Trappl
1988: Gerrit Broekstra
1992: Gerard de Zeeuw
1994: Bela H. Banathy
1998: Michael C. Jackson
2000: Yong Pil Rhee
2002: Jifa Gu
2006 Matjaz Mulej
2008 Matjaz Mulej
2010 Gary S. Metcalf
2012 Gary S. Metcalf
2014 Gary S. Metcalf
2016 Mary C. Edson

Fellows

Gary Metcalf
Robert Trappl
Gerhard Chroust
Mike Jackson
Gerard de Zeeuw
Jifa Gu

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