Governance

IFHP has recently changed its governance structures and procedures (as of 2010) and now runs along "Cabinet-Parliament-People" lines, where the Members elect their representatives to the highest authority, the Council, which in turn monitors the Board that operates within an approved annual programme and budget.

More information on the Board Members and Council Members.

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IFHP Strategic Action Plan 2011-2013  Seven Pillars

In addition to the Board and Council, IFHP is also guided by its Strategic Action Plan, which runs from 2011-2013 and envelops major changes in managing and running its activities. The main focus is the Centenary year in 2013, with 2011 being the year to “turn the corner” and start implementing the main changes identified, and 2012 to be considered as the year to prepare the way for the Centenary year itself.

The SAP is based on seven interrelated “pillars”:

• Content: Under its mission “Understanding Human Settlement Issues in a Changing World”, IFHP will ensure that the content that it generates and exchanges with its activities and products is disseminated effectively to maximize its practical application. By focusing its efforts on issues concerning housing and community building in a broader planning context specifically from the point of view of the unpredictability, rapidity and complexity of change, it aims to create content that is different and unique but also of practical use for stakeholders dealing with major contemporary urban development issues.
• A more diverse programme of activities: IFHP will offer a broader programme of activities, both in terms of content (different contemporary issues and themes fitting into the above content framework) and form (congresses, conferences, study tours, professional visits, summer schools, implementation labs, roundtables, workshops, awards and competitions, online conferences/webinars, books, e-commerce etc). The aim is to place more emphasis on a greater number of smaller activities whilst retaining the annual congress.
• The active involvement of professionals and their knowledge: IFHP will involve its members actively in the establishment and implementation of its activities. The working groups ‘new style’ will play an instrumental role in this endeavour. At the moment there are three: on Climate Resilient Cities, on Housing and on Spontaneous Cities. There are efforts being made to re-start the working group on Land Use. However, members can also interact via internet and social media.
• A more effective use of website, social media and database technologies: IFHP will invest wisely in developing and integrating these essential tools into its activities, thereby enhancing its web and online presence. They will become central components of its business. The use of these technologies will be exploited to increase and intensify the involvement of its members outside of ‘physical’ events and meetings, via website forums and social media.
• A more responsible financial administration. IFHP will exploit new sources of revenue in line with contemporary non-profit organisations and run its affairs in a more business-like fashion, relating expenditure strictly to revenue. There will be efforts made to find new sources of income to replace the old ones, like subsidies which have disappeared. These new sources, which include ‘market ‘ sponsorships and the participation in projects are unavoidably performance and product-related. Membership contributions will remain important.
• More effective governance structure and processes.  In November 2010, IFHP totally rewrote its ‘Rules’ and changed its governance structures and procedures on the basis of a “Cabinet-Parliament- People” system. This involves a new Board of just 6 members that meets more regularly, elected by a new Council, that monitors the Board’s activities which in turn is elected by the members. This ensures both efficient decision-making and democratic participation.
• Partnership: IFHP intends to develop many forms of partnership. These include general partnerships such as with the Association of European Schools of Planning (AESOP) and ISOCARP, geographical partnerships, such as with the Asian-Pacific ‘Eastern Regional Organisation of Planning and Human Settlements’ (EAROPH)  as well as partnerships related to specific projects (such as TCPA in the UK for the Centenary, activities (such as the City of Gothenburg for the 2012 world congress), content (such as the Danish Architect Centre) or products (such as Graham Allen for his book on the History of IFHP).

The Secretariat will report regularly on progress on all seven of these aspects of the SAP.