The Standing Committee on Strategic Planning supports the strategic direction, development and implementation of IUPsyS priorities. Strategic planning is a fundamental principle of the Union’s governance and management, and the Committee works with the President, Secretary-General, Officers and Executive Committee to review strategic priorities, facilitate consultation and translate agreed priorities into organisational action.
Chair: Germán Gutiérrez, President
Members: Ava Thompson; Brigitte Khoury
Ex officio: Karl Swain
Under its Terms of Reference, the Committee is responsible for developing the framework for the IUPsyS Strategic Plan; preparing and periodically revising the Plan for consideration by the Executive Committee and Assembly; supporting its implementation; engaging Members in strategic planning; and consulting key stakeholders to ensure that the Union’s strategic direction is contextualised, relevant and informed by good practice.
Click here for the Terms of Reference
2024–2026
The 2020–2024 Strategic Plan was extended to December 2026 to allow for a comprehensive strategic review and the development of the Union’s next strategic framework.
The Committee has since advanced a broad strategic consultation process. Important developments include:
- Strategic discussions with delegates during the 2024 IUPsyS Assembly, focusing on sustainable development, psychology as a hub science, interdisciplinary collaboration, Member engagement, visibility, education and measurable implementation.
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Convening the inaugural IUPsyS Global Psychological Science Leadership Summit in Prague in July 2024, bringing together regional leaders, psychological scientists and international experts. The Summit culminated in the Prague Declaration: Our Humanity, Our Psychology and Our Future, which emphasised interdisciplinary cooperation, equity, contextualised psychological science, diverse knowledge systems, sustainability, peace and resilience.
- Continued strategic dialogue through the IUPsyS Leadership Forum held during the European Congress of Psychology in Paphos in July 2025.
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Development of the next strategic framework through Member surveys, workshops, drop-in sessions and wider stakeholder consultation, with particular attention to the Union’s future vision, values, priorities, governance and implementation mechanisms.
The ongoing review is intended to produce an evidence-informed and widely supported strategic framework for the period beginning in 2027, with focused priorities, measurable outcomes and clear responsibilities.