WAPOR 2025 Business Meeting Report

WAPOR Business Meeting 2025 – Membership Report

Held May 15, 2025 | St. Louis, United States

President Christian Haerpfer opened the meeting with a comprehensive overview of WAPOR’s global reach and organizational progress. The organization now includes a bit over 500 members and affiliates across 102 countries, including 27 organizational members. Central to that international reach is WAPOR’s network of 102 national representatives, who serve as key points of engagement in their countries and help maintain the organization’s visibility, diversity, and relevance around the world.  WAPOR’s annual conference, held in St. Louis, brought together 151 participants from 38 countries. Beyond the in-person event, six webinars were hosted during the year. WAPOR’s regional chapters remain active contributors through dedicated conferences and webinars. The 2024 Annual Report, released earlier this year, detailed the organization’s achievements and reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability, and inclusive governance.

Looking ahead to the 80th anniversary in 2027, five strategic goals have been established: strengthening global representation, enhancing transparency and data integrity, fostering partnerships with like-minded organizations, expanding support for early-career researchers, and improving communications and member services. Initiatives already in motion include growing the national representative network to 130 countries, establishing consultative strategic advisory and industry bodies, launching member-led Working Groups, and initiating an annual virtual consultation to gather member input. These efforts reflect a broader commitment to ensuring that WAPOR remains responsive, inclusive, and impactful in a rapidly changing global research environment.

Past President Robert Chung’s report focused on key developments in governance and recognition of professional excellence. A major item was the work of the Constitutional Review Task Force, which proposed new procedures for filling vacancies in executive positions through by-elections, provided the vacancy occurs more than six months before the end of a term. The Council approved this recommendation, and a membership referendum on the amendments will be held alongside the 2025 election. The report also outlined the timeline for electing four open Council positions: Secretary-Treasurer, Liaison Chair, Membership Chair, and Publications Chair. In addition to governance matters, this year’s award recipients were recognized for their excellent contribution to public opinion research field. The efforts of the award committees were acknowledged as central to upholding WAPOR’s values of quality and fairness.

Vice President Colin Irwin’s report emphasized WAPOR’s increasing engagement with global development priorities, especially those outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Members have contributed to studies across a broad range of themes, including poverty, hunger, water security, peacebuilding, and climate action. These efforts are not only academically valuable but also provide public opinion insights into some of the most pressing global issues. A key update was WAPOR’s ongoing application for consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). This status would restore WAPOR’s official relationship with the UN and allow deeper involvement in initiatives led by the UN Statistics Division and other bodies. The report also posed strategic questions for members to consider, including how WAPOR might help standardize public opinion indicators aligned with global development goals.

Secretary-Treasurer Yulia Baskakova’s report provided an update on WAPOR’s financial position and operational priorities. For 2025, the organization expects $148,115 in income, primarily from journal revenue, membership dues, and donations. Projected expenses total $140,247, covering staffing, software, and professional services. The St. Louis conference generated nearly $61,000 in revenue but ended with a modest deficit. Beyond financials, ongoing initiatives include enhancing budget efficiency; updating the legal framework for regional chapters; securing liability and officers’ insurance; and strengthening WAPOR’s fundraising capabilities. An organizational membership drive and targeted fundraising are underway to support chapter growth and member services.

Professional Standards Committee Chair Sunghee Lee reported on strong progress on initiatives to uphold research integrity and promote ethical practices. A major accomplishment was the release of the 2023 Global Status of Public Opinion Research report, which reflects survey findings from national representatives. Additionally, WAPOR issued a formal statement in April 2025 supporting open access to social science data. The committee is currently working on revising the WAPOR/ESOMAR guidelines for public opinion polling, in collaboration with international partners. A proposal is also under consideration to form a Working Group focused on survey nonresponse. The committee continues to review questionnaire for National Representatives annual report and the Code of Ethics. Plans to explore partnerships with global statistical associations further reflect the committee’s outward-facing orientation.

Education Committee Chair Alice Siu’s report focused on the activity schedule. The Education Committee hosted six webinars in the first five months of 2025, addressing topics such as AI in research, voting behavior predictions, fieldwork strategies in the Global South, and opinion measurement in authoritarian contexts. Webinars drew on diverse speakers from multiple regions and disciplines. Looking ahead, the committee is planning four to six more webinars for the fall and continuing to build out WAPOR’s training library. The committee remains committed to helping members sharpen their skills, stay current with research trends, and engage with colleagues from around the world.

Publications Committee Chair Rico Neumann shared developments from the International Journal of Public Opinion Research (IJPOR), including a strong flow of submissions and several themed issues on the horizon. These include special issues on misinformation, polarization, and populism, with another planned on authoritarianism in early 2026. A six-member editorial board, including two new and four continuing associate editors, as well as a six-member international advisory board are helping to steer the journal forward.. The report also mentioned the success of the next WAPOR News issue, which was relaunched in early 2025, and other content initiatives such as the Spotlight Interviews with award recipients and chapter leaders. Social media growth and digital content such as newsletters and interview series further extend WAPOR’s outreach. The committee continues to collaborate closely with WAPOR’s transparency efforts and welcomes ideas from members on future content and directions.

Liaison Committee Chair Rosario Aguilar reported on several initiatives aimed at strengthening WAPOR’s ties with peer organizations. The committee is working with ESRA to plan a joint conference in 2027 and with ESOMAR to develop a more formal cooperation framework. The Liaison Committee is also supporting WAPOR’s UN engagement by contributing to a new handbook on household surveys. Additionally, it continues to work with chapters to help with leadership transitions, constitutional updates, and event planning. Looking forward, continued outreach to other associations was emphasized. The committee also supports regional chapters in leadership transitions and governance updates, while actively promoting WAPOR’s visibility among related professional networks.

Membership Committee Chair Hayk Gyuzalyan’s report shared membership trends and future strategies for growth. WAPOR now counts 370 individual members and additionally has 27 organizational members and 60 Friends of WAPOR. A member survey was launched earlier this year to gather feedback from those who did not renew, with results expected to guide future retention efforts. Starting in October 2025, members will have the option to join for two- or three-year terms. Outreach efforts continue to focus on students, junior professionals, and international researchers, with new resources in development to support engagement across career stages and regions. The committee is also developing tailored resources to support newer members and broaden WAPOR’s global base.

Conference Committee Chair Wolfgang Aschauer’s report focused on the 2025 Annual Conference in St. Louis which featured 26 sessions and three collaborative panels with AAPOR. Sessions covered a wide array of public opinion research topics, such as electoral behavior, media trust, youth political engagement, cross-national survey methods, and the role of AI in data governance. The conference featured participation of 151 WAPOR members originating from 38 countries. Four pre-conference workshops, an awards banquet and social events further enhanced the collaborative atmosphere, exemplifying effective engagement between WAPOR and AAPOR. Optional post-conference excursions allowed participants to explore cultural landmarks such as the Chess Hall of Fame, Cahokia Mounds, and the St. Louis Art Museum. A central feature of this year’s conference was the enhanced collaboration with AAPOR. Joint sessions, a shared plenary event, and a co-hosted welcome reception encouraged deeper engagement between the two associations and opened new opportunities for future cooperation. The conference was made possible through the generous support of several key sponsors. WAPOR extends its sincere appreciation to D3 Designs Data Decisions, Langer Research Associates, the Survey Research Center at Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), FORS – the Swiss Centre of Expertise in the Social Sciences, and the Survey Research Lanka (SRL). 

The Historian’s report presented by Tom Smith shared progress on WAPOR’s forthcoming history book, planned for publication in time for the organization’s 80th anniversary in 2027. The book will feature 15 chapters and an appendix, covering the evolution of WAPOR’s leadership, conferences, publications, professional standards, regional chapters, and global impact. As of May 2025, seven chapters are fully prepared for copyediting, with an additional two to three nearing readiness. This comprehensive project brings together the contributions of past and current leaders and scholars and is intended to serve as a lasting resource documenting WAPOR’s history and legacy. Copyediting is anticipated to begin shortly, with completion projected over the coming months in preparation for publication by the anniversary year.