Message from ISS President

2025 President

The Information and Systems Society (ISS) conducts research spanning from fundamental to applied technologies in systematization that integrates information processing, computers, communications, and human factors, and extends to their implementation in society. As the largest society within IEICE, our mission is to provide members with opportunities for presentation and exchange, contributing to the sustainable advancement of information technology and the resolution of social issues. In FY2025, we will continue to build on initiatives launched in the previous year, including those across journals, technical committees, major conferences such as the General Conference and FIT, internationalization, and the Mentorship Working Group, while pursuing new efforts.

1. Journals
Our journals serve not only as platforms for member publication but also as critical media for accessing the latest research. We remain committed to enhancing both their quality and volume. The English journal “ED” has been fully open-access via J-STAGE since January 2010. Compared to 2016, the number of accesses has increased approximately eightfold, and the number of citations has also risen. Scopus CiteScore improved from 0.8 to 1.4 (FY2023), and the impact factor reached 0.72 in the same year, demonstrating significant progress. Moving forward, we are also considering publication via IEEE Xplore, as adopted by the Communications Society. Concurrently, we will strive to shorten review periods, enhance the quality of reviews, and distribute reviewer workloads more effectively. In 2024, we introduced a simultaneous review system that links peer review from events hosted by technical committees with journal reviews. In FY2025, this system will be extended to symposia organized or co-sponsored by technical committees.

2. Technical Committees
Currently, ISS operates 26 technical committees (including special ones), which provide forums for discussion and networking across specialized fields. While the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated fully online formats for two years, hybrid formats that combine the advantages of both online and in-person meetings have become increasingly effective. However, the rising cost of such operations remains a challenge. In FY2025, we will foster knowledge sharing among technical committees using Slack and implement incentives for committee organizers, such as waiving registration fees and document download charges, to maximize member satisfaction through effective committee operations.

3. General Conference and FIT
The ISS-initiated student poster sessions at the General Conference have gained popularity and were elevated to official IEICE events starting FY2024. ISS will continue to play a central role in its operation. At FIT, the Top Conference Sessions featuring presentations from leading international conferences have consistently been well-received. We will continue energizing these events to make them even more appealing to junior and early-career researchers.

4. Internationalization
IEICE is implementing initiatives to promote internationalization. As part of this, support has begun for technical committees organizing international conferences and workshops overseas to attract more international members. In 2024, ISS renewed its Sister Society Agreement with the Asia-Pacific Signal and Information Processing Association (APSIPA). Additionally, in FY2025, ISS will support the international conference MVA2025, hosted by the PRMU technical committee. We are also considering launching our international conference under ISS’s initiative.

5. Mentorship Working Group
After two years of preparation, the Mentorship Working Group launched a program to support students and early-career researchers aiming to have their work accepted at top-tier international conferences and journals. Last year, two projects were successfully endorsed. We will further expand this program in fiscal year 2025.
We in ISS will continue striving to support the success of our members’ research and technological development. We sincerely appreciate your continued support and cooperation.