Introduction After a lot of preparations and effort, the first edition of The Asia Pacific Channel, the IEEE Region 10's Forum publication, will reach every IEEE member in the Asia Pacific Region. It gives me great pleasure to report to you the developments of the IEEE in our Asia Pacific Region. The year 1995 has been an exciting and busy year for the IEEE Region 10. As one of the most diverse and fastest growing Regions of IEEE, there has been many changes, development and growth. Growth and Technical Vitality We have witness a phenomenal growth of membership, both in quantity and quality in 1995. The year-end figure shows that the Region has achieved its goal of at least 10% growth. The growth in numbers has also been supported by expansion in technical activities. Over the year there have been a total of 12 society chapters or joint chapters formed in Bangladesh, Beijing, Daejon, Hong Kong, Hyperabad, South Australia, Taipei, Tokyo, Uttar Pradesh and Western Australia. These represent a very well spread increase in technical activities within the Region. The Region is doing everything possible to encourage and sustain this trend in membership growth and technical activities. Transnational Networking & National Societies Links The most significant event in Transnational Networking in the Region has been the TAB (Technical Activities Board) Colloquia visit to Australia and New Zealand. Led by Pete Morley and Executive Director Ted Hissey, two groups consisting of members of the Executive Committee, representatives from a number of technical societies and myself as Region 10 Director, visited all Sections in Australia and New Zealand. The visits included technical seminars, round-table conferences with Section leaders, and visits to local industries and universities. In addition President Cain visited New Delhi in April '95 to sign an agreement with the IETE of India. Over the past year I have also visited a number of Sections in my capacity as the Director. These included the Taipei Section, the Beijing Section where I addressed a two-day event celebrating their 10th anniversary, the Singapore Section to open the Mega Conference, the Tokyo Section to address the Robotics & Automation Society AdCom in Nagoya, Japan, the Thailand Section in Phuket during the Regional Meeting, and the Queensland and Western Australian Sections during the TAB Colloquia. A historical event happened towards the end of the year when President Cain, Past-President Nagle, Professor Felix Wu (representing the Power Society) and I visited both Hanoi and Ho-Chi-Minh City in Vietnam. In addition to meeting the leaders of the major National Society, Radio Engineers of Vietnam (REV), we were also received by the Minister for Science and Technology. Good will supporting the development of IEEE in Vietnam was entirely expressed and there is a plan to sign a joint agreement around May 1996 during their major National Conference. Regional Structure Re-Organization With the rapid changes in Region 10, the current regional structure and representation was considered outdated and in need of a major review. A 'brainstorming' session was led by Director Raymond Findlay during the Region 10 Committee Meeting in April '95, Phuket. The objective was to identify an alternative organization model which is a more efficient and equitable structure providing better representation of our members' needs. The model should lead the Sections into the next Century. The schedule is to have two or three alternative models ready for consideration in the Regional Committee Meeting in 1996. The process is currently in active progress. There has been much change in the Region caused by economic and tech-nological
developments. Many initiatives and projects have been started in 1995 which are yet to be
completed. I look forward to continuing these efforts with the required momentum in 1996
and the help of a very dedicated and competent Executive Committee.
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Author: IEEE Region 10 Webmaster ccewwcl@nus.edu.sg
URL: http://www.ehw.ieee.org/reg/10/nl_a1.htm
(Modified:04/13/98)