Conference Feedback and Discussion of Working Group Revisions

Terms of Reference: Council Committee on Working Groups

  1. Working group descriptions have remained largely static since the foundation of the Society in 2008. Two new working groups have been added: Military Education in 2012 and Strategy in 2019. It is time to re-examine how the ISMS divides its work to serve its membership.
  2. The ISMS Council Committee on Working Groups will consist of Niels Bo Poulsen, Zdzislaw Sliwa and Anders Sookermany.
  3. The Committee’s tasks are:
    1. Consult with the Council, WG chairs, and institutional stakeholders through the most expedient means.
    2. Review the number and scope of working groups: do they cover the full scope of military sciences according to the needs of the institutional members of the ISMS under current circumstances?
    3. Review and revise existing working group descriptions in consultation with WG chairs and the Council.
    4. Review and revise terms of reference for WG chairs (https://isofms.org/working-groups)  in consultation with WG Chairs and Council.
    5. Suggest standard procedures or guidelines for WG chairs in their work with contributing researchers, conference organizers, and the Council.
  4. The Committee will report to the Council with a written proposal for Working Group descriptions and terms of reference by 1 January 2024.
  5. The format of the Committee’s report should be conducive to updating the website quickly and organizing the 2024 conference with minimum disruption.

Survey for feedback on Conferences and Working Groups

The aim of the survey is to get general feedback on conferences and working groups. 

  1. Identification (age, civ, mil, acad)
  2. Country, service 
  3. WG experience (all that apply) 
  4. conferences attended (checkbox)
  5. List up to three areas you would like to see not currently addressed (open text, short answer)
  6. Of our ten WG, which could be retired from service? (Check box)
  7. what are the three most important problems facing the military profession in small democratic countries? (open text, short answer)
  8. which definition of military science would you agree with (three options - pick one or comment) the ones I have in mind are Peischel 2017 (narrow), Sookermany 2017 (wide) of Taylor 2023 (STEM) I’ll spell them out.
  9. Any other comments about ISMS conferences or working groups