Mission & Goals
The mission of the IEA is to elaborate and advance Human Factors / Ergonomics (HFE) science and practice, and to expand its scope of application and contribution to society to improve quality of life. It does this by working closely with its federated and affiliated societies, networks and related international organisations.
The main goals of the IEA are :
- To develop more effective communication with and collaboration between federated societies.
- To advance the science and practice of HFE at an international level.
- To enhance the contribution of the HFE discipline to global society
The current Seven Strategic Policies of the IEA are to;
1. Engage Stakeholders
2. Collaborate with and reinforce IEA Networks
3. Promote HFE science, technology and practice
4. Promote HFE education, certification and professional standards
5. Strengthen relationships with external partners
6. Reinforce the infrastructure of the Association
7. Maintain a future focus for HFE.
Further details are available here.
Download a presentation by the Immediate Past President, Kathleen Mosier, on the IEA here:
IEA_Poster_Mosier
History of The IEA
The founding of the IEA was preceded by discussions made at several meetings and initiatives on the part of various individuals in the middle of the last century.
The Ergonomics Research Society (ERS) founded in England in 1949 held various events that had a major influence on the founding of the IEA. The European Productivity Agency (EPA) founded in 1953 initiated a project entitled “Fitting the Task to the Worker” and drew the attention of people who later played key roles in founding the IEA. A number of events synchronized the discussion and debate in the process.
The decision to explore the feasibility of an international association was made at an EPA seminar held in Leyden, Holland in 1957. In 1959, the steering (preparatory) committee of the future International Ergonomics Association (IEA), held its first meeting in conjunction with the ERS symposium and decided on the founding of the IEA.
In 1961, the first meeting of the IEA’s General Assembly was held in Stockholm, Sweden. This meeting formally completed the preparatory phase of the association and started the regular activities of the IEA.
In 1967, the IEA became an association of federated societies worldwide. It ended the period when the IEA was a society of individuals.
In 2011, the IEA became an international organization based in Switzerland pursuant to article 60 et seq of the Swiss Civil Code under the official name “The International Ergonomics Association.” The IEA is a registered “Not For Profit Association” at the commercial register in the municipality of Thônex, Canton of Geneva, Switzerland.
More about the history of IEA:
History of the International Ergonomics Association 1985-2018
50th Anniversary Booklet, The International Ergonomics Association, July 2006
History of the International Ergonomics Association: The First Quarter of a Century