History of the International Secretarial Summit

Purpose
To bring together representatives from secretaries’. administrative professionals’ and management assistants’ associations throughout the world for the purpose of sharing ideas and information, and establishing action plans to positively impact on issues and concerns facing the profession.

In 1992 Professional Secretaries International (now known as the International Association of Administrative Professionals - IAAP) decided to bring together the leaders of professional secretarial associations throughout the world to participate in an International Summit to discuss global issues affecting secretaries.

That first Summit was held in New York and was considered a huge success with the decision being taken to hold further Summits at three-yearly intervals.

The second Secretarial Summit, again hosted by PSI, was subsequently held in 1995 in Seattle, USA. At that meeting it was agreed that other nations would take turns to host the event and that because of the fast pace of change within the secretarial profession the next Summit should be held two years later. Bids were presented and the Professional Secretaries’ Association of South Africa was chosen to host the next Summit.

The third Summit took place in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1997 and was attended by representatives from Australia, Bahamas, Bolivia, Mozambique, New Zealand, St Kitts, St Lucia, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom and USA. At that event a bid was presented by the New Zealand Society of Executive Secretaries (now known as the Association of Administrative Professionals New Zealand - AAPNZ) to host the next Summit in July 2000. In addition, provision bids were presented by the Institute of Qualified Professional Secretaries - IQPS, United Kingdom to host in London in 2003 and by the Institute of Professional Secretaries & Administrators Australia (now known as the Australian Institute of Office Professionals - AIOP) to host in 2006.

The fourth International Secretarial Summit was held in Wellington, New Zealand with the theme of “Stars 2000”. Countries represented included Australia, Brazil, Europe, Papua/New Guinea, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, New Zealand, United Kingdom and USA. IQPS presented its formal bid to host the 5th International Secretarial Summit and was successful. Several associations not previously represented at a Summit, expressed their interest in attending the Summit in 2003.

The fifth International Secretarial Summit was held in London, in September 2003, with the theme of “Today’s World - Tomorrow’s Challenge”. Countries represented included Australia, Europe, Ghana, Japan, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom and USA. AIOP presented its formal bid to host the International Summit in 2006. This was successful and the 6th International Secretarial Summit will take place at the Radisson Resort Gold Coast, Australia from 3-6 September 2006.

6TH INTERNATIONAL SECRETARIAL SUMMIT - 2006

An International Advisory Committee has been established and its mandate is to assist the National Board of AIOP in setting down the Agenda.

Suggested Agenda
The 6th International Secretarial Summit will commence with the Official Opening with a “common afternoon” before the actual start of the Summit. This will allow Delegates and Participants to mix and get to know each other before the commencement of the Summit.

Country Delegates
All countries are invited to attend. If voting is required by Delegates, the following guidelines for voting will apply:
Asia 1 vote
Australia 1 vote
Europe 1 vote
New Zealand 1 vote
Papua/New Guinea 1 vote
South Africa 1 vote
United Kingdom 1 vote
United States of America 1 vote
West Indies 1 vote

Summit Sponsors