Last Updated: 2007, January 9

Scholarly Societies Project

International Unions

International Unions
Introductory Remarks on International Unions Definition
Council
Affiliations
International Council for Science (ICSU)
[The Council was founded in 1931 as the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU). In April 1998 it changed its name to International Council for Science (ICSU).] 		Scientific Members
Scientific Associates
Other Bodies
International Social Science Council (ISSC) =
Conseil International des Sciences Sociales (CISS) =
Consejo Internacional de Ciencias Sociales (CISS) =
Internationaler Rat für Sozialwissenschaften (IRSW)
 [In English. A site maintained for the ISSC by UNESCO.] 		Member Associations
Conseil International de la Philosophie et des Sciences Humaines (CIPSH) =
International Council for Philosophy and Humanistic Studies (ICPHS)
[In English and French. A site maintained for the CIPSH by UNESCO.] 		Member Organisations
Other International Unions

Definition
There are many thousands of international societies and associations in existence today. When we use the term international unions in the Scholarly Societies Project we mean societies or associations that:
  • are scholarly in nature
  • have an international geographic scope
  • have a very broad subject scope, such as physics, psychology, or history, and
  • usually have close ties with national associations of the same broad subject scope, and usually play a role in co-ordinating work of the national associations

Affiliations to Councils
Many of these international unions are affiliated with one or more of three co-ordinating councils:

International Council for Science (ICSU)
Scientific Members of ICSU
URL Stability Rank
Society Name
Acronym
four stars International Astronomical Union = Union Astronomique Internationale IAU = UAI
four stars International Brain Research Organization = Organisation Internationale de Recherche sur le Cerveau IBRO = OIRC
four stars International Geographical Union = Union Géographique Internationale [In English and French.] IGU = UGI
four stars International Mathematical Union = Union Mathématique Internationale IMU = UMI
four stars International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing = Internationale Gesellschaft für Photogrammetrie und Fernerkundung = Société Internationale de Photogrammétrie et de Télédétection ISPRS = IGPF = SIPT
four stars International Union for Physical and Engineering Sciences in Medicine IUPESM
four stars International Union for Pure and Applied Biophysics = Organisation Internationale de Biophysique Pure et Appliquée IUPAB = OIBPA
one star
broken once broken once 		International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences = Union Internationale des Sciences Anthropologiques et Ethnologiques [In English.] IUAES = UISAE
four stars International Union of Biological Sciences = Union Internationale des Sciences Biologiques IUBS = UISB
four stars International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology IUBMB
four stars International Union of Crystallography IUCr
four stars International Union of Food Science and Technology IUFoST
four stars International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics = Union de Géodésie et Géophysique Internationale [In English and French.] IUGG = UGGI
four stars International Union of Geological Sciences = Union Internationale des Sciences Géologiques = Unión Internacional de Ciencias Geológicas = Internationale Union für Geologische Wissenschaften IUGS = UISG = UICG = IUGW
four stars International Union of Immunological Societies = Union internationale des sociétés d'immunologie [In English.] IUIS = UISI
four stars International Union of Microbiological Societies = Union Internationale des Sociétés de Microbiologie [In English.] IUMS = UISM
four stars International Union of Nutritional Sciences = Union Internationale des Sciences de la Nutrition IUNS = UISN
four stars International Union of Pharmacology IUPHAR
four stars International Union of Physiological Sciences IUPS
four stars International Union of Psychological Science = Union Internationale de Psychologie Scientifique [Mostly in English; some French.] IUPsyS
four stars International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry = Union Internationale de Chimie Pure et Appliquée IUPAC = UICPA
four stars International Union of Pure and Applied Physics = Union Internationale de Physique Pure et Appliquée IUPAP = UIPPA
four stars International Union of Radio Science = Union Radio-Scientifique Internationale IURS = URSI
four stars International Union of Soil Sciences = Union Internationale de la Science du Sol = Internationale Bodenkundliche Union = Union Internacional de la Ciencia del Suelo [In English.] IUSS = UISS = IBU = UICS
  International Union of the History and Philosophy of Science = Union Internationale d'Histoire et de Philosophie des Sciences
[No website found as of 2004, February 26.] 		IUHPS = UIHPS
four stars International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics IUTAM
four stars International Union of Toxicology [In English.] IUTOX

International Council for Science (ICSU)
Scientific Associates of ICSU
URL Stability Rank
Society Name
Acronym
four stars Academia de Ciencias de América Latina = Latin American Academy of Sciences [In Spanish.] ACAL
  Engineering Committee on Oceanic Resources
[No website found, as of 2004, March 1.] 		ECOR
  Federation of Asian Scientific Academies and Societies
[No website found, as of 2004, February 27.] 		FASAS
four stars International Association for Hydraulic Research = Association internationale de recherches hydrauliques = Asociación Internacional de Investigaciones Hidráulicas [In English.] IAHR = AIRH = AIIH
four stars International Cartographic Association = Association Cartographique Internationale [In English and French.] ICA = ACI
one star International Cell Research Organization = Organisation Internationale de Recherche sur la Cellule [In English.] ICRO = OIRC
four stars International Council for Laboratory Animal Science ICLAS
four stars International Council for Scientific and Technical Information = Conseil International pour l'Information scientifique et technique ICSTI = CIIST
four stars International Federation for Information Processing IFIP
four stars International Federation of Library Associations & Institutions IFLA
  International Federation of Science Editors = Fédération internationale des rédacteurs scientifiques
[No website found, as of 2004, February 26.] 		IFSE = FIRS
one star International Federation of Societies for Microscopy IFSM
four stars
 International Federation of Surveyors = Fédération internationale des géomètres = Internationale Vereinigung der Vermessungsingenieure [In English.] IFS = FIG = IVV
four stars International Foundation for Science IFS
four stars International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis IIASA
four stars International Radiation Protection Association IRPA
four stars International Society of Endocrinology ISE
one star
broken once 		International Union for Quaternary Research = Union Internationale pour l'Étude du Quaternaire INQUA
four stars International Union for Vacuum Science, Technique, and Applications = Union Internationale pour la Science, la Technique, et les Applications du Vide = Internationale Union für Vakuum-Forschung, -Technik, und -Anwendung [In English.] IUVSTA
four stars International Union of Forestry Research Organizations IUFRO
four stars International Water Association IWA
four stars Pacific Science Association PSA
four stars Third World Academy of Sciences TWAS

International Council for Science (ICSU)
Other Bodies of ICSU
URL Stability Rank
Society Name
Acronym
four stars ICSU Committee on Data for Science and Technology [CODATA is an interdisciplinary Scientific Committee of the International Council for Science (ICSU).] ICSU-CODATA
one star
broken once 		ICSU Panel on World Data Centers ICSU-PWDC
four stars International Commission for Optics = Commision Internationale d'Optique [In English. The ICO is an affiliated commission of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP).] ICO = CIO
four stars International Commission of Agricultural Engineering = Commission Internationale du Génie Rural ICAE = CIGR
four stars International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature [The Commission is under the auspices of the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS).] ICZN
four stars International Committee for the History of Technology ["ICOHTEC was constituted as a Scientific Section within the Division of the History of Science of the International Union of the History and Philosophy of Science (IUHPS/DHS).... but it has always functioned as a fully autonomous body with its funding dependent on its membership."] ICOHTEC
four stars International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme [Established and sponsored by the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU). "Its goal is describe and understand the interactive physical, chemical and biological processes that regulate the total Earth system, the unique environment that it provides for life, the changes that are occurring in this system, and the manner in which they are influenced by human actions."] IGBP
four stars International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications [In English, with some French and Spanish. "Established in 1992 by the International Council for Science (ICSU), as a programme of the Committee for the Dissemination of Scientific Information (CDSI)/ICSU Press."] INASP
four stars Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research [SCAR, the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, is a committee of the International Council for Science (ICSU).] SCAR
four stars Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment [A scientific commission created by the International Council for Science (ICSU).] SCOPE
one star Scientific Committee on Solar-Terrestrial Physics SCOSTEP

International Social Science Council (ISSC) =
Conseil International des Sciences Sociales (CISS) =
Consejo Internacional de Ciencias Sociales (CISS) =
Internationaler Rat für Sozialwissenschaften (IRSW)
Member Associations of ISSC
URL Stability Rank
Society Name
Acronym
  International Association of Legal Sciences
[No website found, as of 2003, December 20.] 		IALS
four stars International Economic Association
 IEA
  International Federation of Social Science Organisations = International Federation of Social Science Organizations
[No website found, as of 2003, December 20.] 		IFSSO
four stars International Geographical Union = Union Géographique Internationale [In English and French.] IGU = UGI
four stars International Institute of Administrative Sciences = Institut International des Sciences Administratives ["the fields of administrative law, public management or administrative practices, as also decision makers and practitioners." In English and French.] IIAS = IISA
four stars International Law Association [In English.] ILA
four stars International Peace Research Association IPRA
four stars International Political Science Association = Association Internationale de Science Politique IPSA = AISP
one star
broken once 		International Sociological Association = Association Internationale de Sociologie = Asociación Internacional de Sociología [In English, French, and Spanish.] ISA = AIS = AIS
one star
broken once broken once 		International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences = Union Internationale des Sciences Anthropologiques et Ethnologiques [In English.] IUAES = UISAE
four stars International Union of Psychological Science = Union Internationale de Psychologie Scientifique [Mostly in English; some French.] IUPsyS
four stars International Union for the Scientific Study of Population = Union Internationale pour l'Étude Scientifique de la Population = Unión Internacional para el Estudio Científico de la Población [In English.] IUSSP = UIESP = UIECP
  World Association for Public Opinion Research = Association Mondiale de Recherches sur l'Opinion Publique WAPOR = AMROP
four stars World Federation for Mental Health = Fédération Mondiale pour la Santé Mentale [In English.] WFMH = FMSM

Conseil International de la Philosophie et des Sciences Humaines (CIPSH) =
International Council for Philosophy and Humanistic Studies (ICPHS)
Member Organisations of CIPSH
URL Stability Rank
Society Name
Acronym
four stars Fédération Internationale des Associations d'Études Classiques (FIEC) = International Federation of the Societies of Classical Studies [In English and French.] FIEC = IFSCS
four stars Fédération Internationale des Sociétés de Philosophie = International Federation of Philosophical Societies [In English.] FISP
four stars International Association for the History of Religions = Association Internationale pour l'Histoire des Religions [In English.] IAHR = AIHR
one star International Committee for the History of Art = Comité International d'Histoire de l'Art [In French and English.] ICHA = CIHA
four stars International Committee of Historical Sciences = Comité International des Sciences Historiques [In English and French.] ICHS = CISH
  International Congress of African Studies
[No website found, as of 2003, December 20.] 		ICAS
one star
broken once 		International Federation for Modern Languages and Literatures = Fédération Internationale des Langues et Littératures Modernes [In English and French.] IFMLL = FILLM
four stars International Musicological Society (IMS) = Société Internationale de Musicologie (SIM) = Internationale Gesellschaft für Musikwissenschaft (IGM) = Società Internazionale di Musicologia (SIM) = Sociedad Internacional de Musicologia (SIM) [In English.] IMS = SIM = IGM
  International Union for Oriental and Asian Studies
[No website found, as of 2003, December 20.] 		IUOAS
one star International Union for Prehistoric and Protohistoric Sciences = Union Internationale des Sciences Préhistoriques et Protohistoriques [Concerned with archaeology. In English and French.] IUPPS = UISPP
one star
broken once broken once 		International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences = Union Internationale des Sciences Anthropologiques et Ethnologiques [In English.] IUAES = UISAE
four stars Permanent International Committee of Linguists = Comité International Permanent des Linguistes [In English.] PICL = CIPL
four stars Union Académique Internationale (UAI) = International Union of Academies (IUA) [In French and English.] UAI = IUA

Other International Unions
URL Stability Rank
Society Name
Acronym
four stars International Gas Union IGU
four stars International Union for Circumpolar Health IUCH
four stars International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources [also known as World Conservation Union] IUCN
four stars International Union for the Study of Social Insects = Union Internationale pour l'Étude des Insectes Sociaux [In English.] IUSSI = UIÉIS
four stars International Union of Architects = Union Internationale des Architectes [In English and French.] IUA = UIA
four stars International Union of Materials Research Societies IUMRS
four stars International Union of Photobiology [In English.] IUPB
four stars International Union of Testing and Research Laboratories for Materials and Structures = Réunion Internationale des Laboratoires d'Essais et de Recherches sur les Matériaux et les Constructions RILEM
four stars Union Internationale de Spéléologie = International Union of Speleology UIS = IUS
four stars International Telecommunication Union ITU
four stars Internationaler Entomologischer Verein = International Entomological Union [In German and English.] IEV

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