IFSS History

The International Symposium is the biggest and the most official event of IFSA. The General Assembly takes part in it. International Symposium is organized each year by the local organizations of IFSA by the country chosen for a host. It is a platform for the students to meet face to face, to exchange ideas, experience and information, to build new friendships. During the Symposium the local organizations, members of IFSA have the chance to meet and talk with the official representatives of the Organization which for its part update the data base for its members, to attract new members and to inform students for the running activities. The International Symposium also offers good opportunities for students exchange among the different universities, gives a chance to the participant students to learn more about the natural facts and resources of the host country and their managing.

The first IFSS was organized in Great Britain in 1973, and the event was held there for thirteen years. The goal then was to provide forestry students with a platform where they could meet their counterparts from other countries discuss their ideas and views and create an atmosphere of solidarity and inspiration. During the following years the symposium attracted more and more students and it moved from the UK to the European continent. The 14th IFSS in Belgium in 1986 was the first to be hosted on the European continent, followed by Germany (1987), Norway (1988) and Poland (1989). The first accomplishment of these meetings was the creation of INFOCENTER; an office established to co-ordinate the exchange of information among forestry students. During the 18th IFSS in Lisbon, Portugal in 1990, the participants decided to expand the co-operation between forestry students beyond the annual symposium. At the constitutional assembly of IFSA, the founding member associations approved provisional statutes and elected the first representative organs. INFOCENTER was relocated and took on the official role as IFSA's communicative and informational organ.

The following year the 19th IFSS was organized in the Netherlands. This symposium turned out to be a great success with 112 participants from 38 countries; it was the first time that students from all continents were represented. The following symposium was organized in Italy (1992). Here the third General Assembly (GA) designated a central organ, the Secretariat, to be responsible for the association's bureaucratic tasks, internal communications and all INFOCENTER duties. The Secretariat, thus, fully assumed its role as IFSA headquarters.

In 1993 the 21st IFSS was held in Malaysia, another remarkable step, because this was the first time the IFSS took place outside of Europe. IFSA became a truly world-wide organization when the new statutes were finally approved in 1994 at the fifth GA during the 22nd IFSS in Switzerland. The association was officially registered as a charity organization with its seat in Gottingen, Germany. The following symposium was hosted by Finland (1995), followed by Australia (1996). Africa hosted two consecutive symposia in South Africa (1997) and in Ghana (1998); again a major achievement for IFSA. The 27th symposium was held in Germany (1999) where, with the adoption of the revised Statutes, Decrees and By-laws, the general assembly moved the seat to Freiburg, Germany.

The 28th IFSS was held in Scotland in 2000. The IFSS 2001 took place in Czech Republic, organised by active students from Mendel University in Brno. During the stay in Czech Republic, students from the Nordic and Baltic countries sat down and planned an event called the Northern European Interregional Summit (NEIS). Forestry students from three Indonesian universities joined hands in organizing the 30th IFSS in September 2002, which during two weeks showed participants from the entire world the different opportunities and difficulties connected to forestry on the islands of Borneo and Java. The 31st IFSS was hosted by students in Turkey and they opened the eyes and minds of international forestry students in the first two weeks of September 2003. 2004 brought the whole IFSA family to the North American continent for the first time when Canada was visited. At this IFSS the IFSA European region was divided in two new regions – Southern and Northern Europe. The IFSS 2005 was held in Australia. There it was decided that IFSS 2007 will be held again in South Africa, whereas 2006 took us to Argentina and Brazil! 2008 will be held in beautiful Bulgaria!!!

   IFSS History (require Power Point)