Beijing / Online, February 9, 2026 — Following the official relocation of the International Union of Materials Research Societies (IUMRS) Headquarters to Beijing, the IUMRS Executive Council (EC) held its first meeting under the new arrangement on February 9, 2026. The meeting was convened online and focused on three key issues: strengthening governance, committee renewal, and future strategic development of IUMRS.
The session was chaired by IUMRS President P. S. Anil Kumar and attended by Executive Council members including Guangxian Li (First Vice President), Sanjay Mathur (Second Vice President), Santi Maensiri (Treasurer), Samuel Chigome (Secretary General), and Osvaldo Oliveira (Immediate Past President), along with invited experts and observers.
The Council discussed and adopted measures to enhance the Headquarters’ operational framework and transparency, including regular quarterly meetings, improved decision-making procedures; clarified financial management protocols, the designated Headquarters account and expenditure oversight mechanisms were confirmed to ensure transparency and accountability; active and timely website servise.
Members also reviewed committee renewals and discussed long-term development initiatives aimed at strengthening IUMRS’s international role. Proposed initiatives include establishing a Fellow program, organizing a global flagship conference of leading materials scientists, introducing a major IUMRS award recognizing outstanding contributions to materials science, and launching an official IUMRS publication platform.
The Council further considered plans to resume in-person Annual General Assembly meetings to enhance member engagement and governance transparency.
President Kumar noted that the meeting marked an important milestone in consolidating institutional structures and advancing strategic priorities for the Union’s continued global development.
