Institute of Professional Editors Limited

IPEd Notes

News from the Institute of Professional Editors March 2006

IPEd's teleconference in mid-February was a welcome chance to review progress made during the summer. The Interim Council is improving both its communication and its administration. Plans are well advanced for a new website which will not only offer a national forum for members but will also ease IPEd's internal communications and improve our record-keeping and archiving. The Canberra society has offered to hold a sub-account for IPEd funds as an interim measure until IPEd becomes a formal body. Most societies have formally agreed to the proposed levy of $20 per member to help with the initial costs of setting up the national organisation and have decided how best to raise the money.

Accreditation

Workshops are being held in each state and territory to explain the assessment process and hear members' concerns. The Accreditation Board, chaired by Robin Bennett (Qld), will collate and analyse the information gained from these discussions to plan the information kit that will be sent to applicants and the guidelines for assessors. Board members will also select questions that participants have raised and publish a response to them in CredAbility, the Board's monthly newsletter column to begin in April. The Board has been deciding on timelines for 2006-7 and is planning to make a detailed presentation to the national conference in Hobart in May 2007. Societies have nominated distinguished editors to assess the first round of applications; a list of their names and brief biographical details will be published shortly, and a very impressive list it is.

Working Groups

We welcome the new convenor of the Promotions Working Group, Kathie Stove (SA). Kathie has form as the leader of the team that created Australian Standards for Editing Practice, so we look forward to her contribution.

The National Organisation Working Group led by Trischa Mann (Vic.) is developing the content of the proposal for a national organisation. They have reached some preliminary conclusions but there are still many details to be investigated, and they expect to present the proposal to members by mid to late 2006. If members accept the proposal, the new body will be registered soon after.

The Education Working Group under Rosemary Luke (SA) is researching the formal courses in editing offered in Australia by universities, TAFE, private providers and the editors' societies. This survey will provide a picture of what is available and where the gaps are, giving a basis for future planning to develop continuous and comprehensive education for editors. As if that wasn't enough, these energetic people are looking into mentoring as well, so the group's official name is now the Education, Training and Mentoring Working Group.

The Standards Revision Working Group, with Shelley Kenigsberg (NSW) as convenor, is charged with updating Australian Standards for Editing Practice. The group is considering whether to embark on a more thorough revision to rewrite the document in a form that can be used for competency-based learning and training. This would enable the profession to meet demands from an industrial environment that is insisting on more formal vocational educational qualifications, but it is a large undertaking. The group is looking into methods of tackling this project, including funding, timing, and coordination with the other working groups. The group would welcome more members, especially if they have expertise in developing Training Packages.

Meanwhile, down in Hobart, the conference committee is making good progress in organising the 2007 national conference, which has the theme ‘From inspiration to publication'. For more information, see <www.tas-editors.org.au/conference2007.htm>.

Janet Mackenzie Liaison officer