On 15-16 July 2025, the 53rd IUPAC Council Meeting was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, along with the IUPAC General Assembly and the 50th World Chemistry Congress organized by Institut Kimia Malaysia (IKM). The following actions were taken; motions are listed below following the numbering in the Agenda. Detailed minutes will follow later.
Motion 1.a: Agenda of the 53rd Council Meeting is approved.
Motion 1.b: Appointment of the Fabienne Meyers as rapporteur is approved.
Motion 1.c: Appointment of the tellers, Igor Lacik, Fani Sakellariadou, Lidong Han, is approved.
The motions were passed by show of cards (non-scientific matters).
Motion 3: The one language in which the official records of the meetings of the Council, Executive Board and Science Board shall be kept and published will be English for the period 2026-2029.
The motion was passed by show of cards.
Motion 4: Minutes of the 52nd Council meeting are approved.
The motion was passed by show of cards.
Motion 5.a: Council approves the Estonian Chemical Society as a National Adhering Organization effective 1 January 2026.
Motion 5.b: Council approves the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala as a National Adhering Organization effective 1 January 2026.
Motion 5.c: Council approves the Colegio de Químicos del Perú as a National Adhering Organization effective 1 January 2026.
Motion 5.d: Council approves the Singapore National Institute of Chemistry as a National Adhering Organization effective 1 January 2026.
These motions were passed by show of cards.
Motion 6: Council ratifies all decisions taken by the Executive Board and Science Board, since those approved by the Council at its 52nd meeting in August 2023, in The Hague.
The motion was passed by show of cards.
Motion 7: Council formally adopts the Recommendations approved by the Interdivisional Committee on Terminology, Nomenclature and Symbols (ICTNS) and published, or scheduled to be published, in Pure and Applied Chemistry from Sept 2023 to June 2025, and the note released 23 Oct 2024 by Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights, on the changes to the standard atomic weights of gadolinium, lutetium, and zirconium.
The motion was passed by show of hands (scientific matter).
Motion 13.a: Council approves the Audited financial statements for the years 2022 and 2023.
Motion 13.b: Council approves the recommended 2026-2027 Budget, recognizing that it is provisional and that revision will be prepared by June 30, 2026.
The motions were passed by show of cards.
Motions 16. concerned proposals for Changes to the Statutes and Bylaws of the Union and Standing Orders for Standing Committees
Statute 16.3 shall read as follows (updates underlined):
“Changes in the Statutes may be proposed by the Executive Board or any National Adhering Organization. Notice of changes so proposed shall reach the Secretary General via the Secretariat in writing at least three months before the meeting of the Council at which the proposal is to be considered. No change shall be made except at a meeting of the Council and with the approval of two-thirds of the total number of votes assigned to the National Adhering Organizations.”
Other updates to Standing Orders include:
- Amendments to the Composition and Terms of Reference for the Committee on Chemistry Education – June 2025
- Composition and Terms of Reference for IYCN (International Younger Chemists’ Network) – April 2024
- Amendments to the Composition and Terms of Reference for CEDEI (Committee on Ethics, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) – February 2024
Motion 16.a: Council approves the proposed updates to the IUPAC Statutes and Bylaws, specific to Statute 9.4 and 16.3.
Motion 16.b: Council approves the revised Composition and Terms of Reference of the Committee on Chemistry Education.
Motion 16.c: Council approves the Composition and Terms of Reference for the International Younger Chemists’ Network.
Motion 16.d: Council approves the amendments to the Composition and Terms of Reference for the Committee on Ethics, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
The motions were passed by show of cards.
Motions 18 concerned the elections of the Officers (Vice President and Treasurer) and Council-Elected Members of Executive Board and Science Board
According to Statute 5.7.2, the Council must elect the Officers of the Union, and the Elected Members of the Executive Board and the Science Board. All nominations taking place at the 53rd Council meeting were received withing the due date specified to Bylaw 2.2.2.1. New incumbents for the following positions were elected: the Vice President, the Treasurer, the six (6) Elected Members of the Executive Board and the up to five (5) Elected Members of the Science Board. The elections were by secret ballot (Bylaw 2.2.2), by delegation (i.e. with weighted vote), and the following candidates were elected:
Vice President
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- Christine Luscombe (Japan)
Treasurer
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- Derek Craston (UK)
Note that the current Vice-President, Mary Garson, and the current President, Ehud Keinan, will start their terms as President and Past President, respectively, on 1 January 2026. The term of the current Secretary General, Zoltan Mester, run until the end of 2027.
Elected Members of the Executive Board:
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- Lidia Armelao (Italy)
- Richard Hartshorn (New Zealand)
- Miki Hasegawa (Japan)
- Bonnie Lawlor (USA)
- Zhigang Shuai (China/Beijing)
- Supawan Tantayanon (Thailand)
Council-Elected Members of the Science Board:
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- Abeer Al Bawab (Jordan)
- Pierre Braunstein (France)
- Evamarie Hey-Hawkins (Germany)
- Alejandra Palermo (UK)
- Floris Rutjes (Netherlands)
Motion 18.a: Council ratifies the election of the new Vice President, Treasurer, Elected Members of the Executive Board and Council-Elected Members of the Science Board.
The motion was passed.
The election of the other five members from the Division Presidents and Standing Committee Chairs to the Science Board was held in May; the following were elected:
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- Edwin C. Constable (Switzerland, Div VIII Chemical Nomenclature and Structure Representation)
- Ari Koskinen (Finland, Div III Organic and Biomolecular)
- Igor Lacík (Slovakia, Div IV Polymer)
- Uday Maitra (India, CCE Chemistry Education)
- Fani Sakellariadou (Greece, Div VI Chemistry and the Environment)
Motion 18.b: Council approves the results from elections of the other five members from the Division Presidents and Standing Committee Chairs to the Science Board.
The motion was passed.
Motion 19: The bid from the Chinese Chemical Society to host of the 56th General Assembly and the 53rd World Chemistry Congress in Beijing from 12-19 July 2031 was passed by Council in a secret ballot with a simple majority.
Motion 20: The Council confirms the Executive Board decision, based on the unanimous recommendation of the Bid Evaluation Committee, to enter into formal contract negotiations with the highest rated bidders, particularly CNR Italy and the University and City of Malaga, Spain to establish an European based Secretariat for the Union.
The motion was passed by show of cards.
Motion 21: Council approves the results from Divisional elections.
A summary listing the officers is presented below.
| Division I | Position | Term | Country |
| Jeremy G. Frey | President | 2026-2027 | UK |
| Frances Separovic | Past President | 2026-2027 | Australia |
| Joaquim Faria | Secretary | 2024-2027 | Portugal |
| Division II | Position | Term | Country |
| Robin Macaluso | President | 2026-2027 | USA |
| Lidia Armelao | Past President | 2026-2027 | Italy |
| Jorge Colón | Secretary | 2024-2027 | Puerto Rico |
| Juris Meija | Vice President | 2026-2027 | Canada |
| Division III | Position | Term | Country |
| Ari Koskinen | President | 2026-2027 | Finland |
| Einar Uggerud | Past President | 2026-2027 | Norway |
| Cristina Nativi | Vice President | 2026-2027 | Italy |
| Ian Williams | Secretary | 2026-2029 | UK |
| Division IV | Position | Term | Country |
| Igor Lacik | President | 2024-2027 | Slovakia |
| Paul Topham | Secretary | 2024-2027 | UK |
| Peter Mallon | Vice President | 2024-2027 | South Africa |
| Division V | Position | Term | Country |
| Derek Craston | President | 2024-2027 | UK |
| Raychelle Burks | Vice President | 2026-2027 | USA |
| Aura Tintaru | Secretary | 2026-2029 | France |
| Division VI | Position | Term | Country |
| Fani Sakellariadou | President | 2026-2027 | Greece |
| Annemieke Farenhorst | Past President | 2026-2027 | Canada |
| Diane Purchase | Vice President | 2026-2027 | UK |
| Matteo Guidotti | Secretary | 2026-2029 | Italy |
| Division VII | Position | Term | Country |
| Vladimir Gubala | President | 2024-2027 | UK |
| Gerd Schnorrenberg | Vice President | 2024-2027 | Germany |
| Linda Johnston | Secretary | 2022-2027 | Canada |
| Division VIII | Position | Term | Country |
| Edwin Constable | President | 2026-2029 | Switzerland |
| Michelle Rogers | Past President | 2026-2027 | USA |
| Clare Tovee | Secretary | 2024-2027 | UK |
The motion was passed by show of cards.
Motion 22: Council reauthorizes the Commission on Physicochemical Symbols, Terminology and Units, the Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights, and the IUBMB- IUPAC Joint Commission on Biochemical Nomenclature (JCBN).
The motion was passed by show of hands.
See You in Montréal, in July 2027!
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