Source: Deutscher Bundestag/Siegfried Bäker – with many thanks
The aim of IPRS (Intersteno Parliamentary and other professional Reporters’ Section) is to enable parliamentary and other professional reporters to co-operate and participate via a professional organisation and to ensure that this resource is used to promote the cause of democratic government, service delivery and professional business practices throughout the world.
Since its beginning the Federation of Intersteno has been involved with parliamentary reporting.
In the 90’s the significance of a section for parliamentary reporters and parliamentary reporting services became apparent.
At the 40th Intersteno congress in Istanbul (1993), the Intersteno Parliamentary Reporters’ Section (IPRS) was founded. It was decided that IPRS should initiate projects on the themes: new technology, productivity, health and safety, quality standards, recruitment and training. At each Intersteno Congress a special session was set aside for parliamentary reporters and a discussion of the themes as set out. This tradition has continued and thrived at subsequent Intersteno congresses and IPRS-meetings.
In addition, a number of bulletins have been published and distributed to members of IPRS. As a result, an increasing number of parliaments have been encouraged and enabled their reporters to participate in IPRS.
In the last few years new parliamentary and other professional reporting services, business models and opportunities have been created. In addition, existing parliamentary and other professional reporting organisations have undergone reorganisation and overcome challenges thanks to the new techniques for capturing the spoken word and the availability of electronic publishing.
The drive for increased efficiencies and value for money has also brought many changes. Within the membership of IPRS there resides a vast reservoir of experience and knowledge. As also many professional reporting and text capturing organisations have joined Intersteno/IPRS, the Intersteno Board decided in Ghent (2012) that the Intersteno Parliamentary Reporters’ Section would henceforth be known as the Intersteno Parliamentary and other professional Reporters’ Section.
IPRS is represented on the Board of Intersteno by the Coordinator for IPRS, Ms. Rian Schwarz (The Netherlands) – Head of the Reporting Department of the Dutch Parliament – rian.schwarz@iprs-info.org
The IPRS Steering Committee implements the policies established for IPRS and acts under the responsibility of the Coordinator for IPRS.
Members of the IPRS Steering Committee include:
All IPRS activities are carried out on voluntary basis.
News and information about IPRS is published on this website, on the IPRS group on Facebook and on our Twitter account.