1 Standards
The OPAL Working Party, which includes members of the Accreditation Board and Standing Committee on Professional Development, is making headway with its research into online learning systems. We now have a platform to trial in the hope that it will support both professional development events and future accreditation exams. We are grateful to Charlotte Cottier, Chair of the Accreditation Board, and Sameh AlAnani, Commercial Director, for leading this work. Also leaping into the online learning space is our newest director, Janette Ellis, who has been appointed by Editors Queensland. She brings experience in education and educational publishing to the Board. Welcome, Janette!
2 Membership
The results of our recent student membership drive are in. We’re delighted to have welcomed 22 new student members, attracted by the campaign and a series of student-focused events. In other membership categories, we’re looking at ways to retain members who might otherwise let their membership lapse, including Accredited Editors. If you have any questions about your membership, please contact Erin at members@iped-editors.org.
3 Support for the profession
The inaugural Emerging Leaders Program has wrapped up, and we thank our cohort of engaged and enthusiastic emerging leaders, who are already contributing to the profession and to IPEd in many different ways. Thank you also to Melanie Dankel, our South Australia Director, for overseeing the program since the conference. We’ve decided to pause the program while we reflect on what we’ve learned from its inaugural year.
4 Focus for the organisation
The 2026–27 budget has now been approved. The Board and staff believe it is both conservative and sustainable as IPEd continues to navigate challenging financial conditions. We are also progressing our review of the branch by-laws. All branches will hold annual branch meetings this year, and we hope to have positive news soon about streamlining branch administration. You’ll also hear more shortly about the new volunteer recognition model. Professional development credits will replace the previous honoraria for branch volunteers and extend recognition to all committees and working parties.
5 Advocacy and education
The Board is keen to forge new connections across the publishing industry and beyond to strengthen IPEd’s profile and promote the value of professional editors. As part of this work, we’ve developed a sponsorship and partnership framework that we hope will strengthen both our relationships and our long-term sustainability.