Book excerpt: For 60 years the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) has been advancing research in Information and Communication Technology (ICT). This book looks into both past experiences and future perspectives using the core of IFIP's competence, its Technical Committees (TCs) and Working Groups (WGs). Soon after IFIP was founded, it established TCs and related WGs to foster the exchange and development of the scientific and technical aspects of information processing. IFIP TCs are as diverse as the different aspects of information processing, but they share the following aims: To establish and maintain liaison with national and international organizations with allied interests and to foster cooperative action, collaborative research, and information exchange. To identify subjects and priorities for research, to stimulate theoretical work on fundamental issues, and to foster fundamental research which will underpin future development. To provide a forum for professionals with a view to promoting the study, collection, exchange, and dissemination of ideas, information, and research findings and thereby to promote the state of the art. To seek and use the most effective ways of disseminating information about IFIP’s work including the organization of conferences, workshops and symposia and the timely production of relevant publications. To have special regard for the needs of developing countries and to seek practicable ways of working with them. To encourage communication and to promote interaction between users, practitioners, and researchers. To foster interdisciplinary work and – in particular – to collaborate with other Technical Committees and Working Groups. The 17 contributions in this book describe the scientific, technical, and further work in TCs and WGs and in many cases also assess the future consequences of the work’s results. These contributions explore the developments of IFIP and the ICT profession now and over the next 60 years. The contributions are arranged per TC and conclude with the chapter on the IFIP code of ethics and conduct.