The International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA)
IRPA is the international voice of the radiation protection profession. It promotes the worldwide enhancement of professional competence, radiation protection culture, and practice by providing benchmarks of good practice, and encouraging the application of the highest standards of professional conduct, skills, and knowledge for the benefit of individuals and society.
The IRPA World Congress has been held every four years since 1966. The next, IRPA16, will take place in Florida in 2024. The UK will host the next IRPA European Regional Congress in Liverpool in 2026.
Membership
Only one radiation protection organisation in a country or region can become an Associate Society of IRPA. In the UK, the Associate Society affiliated to IRPA is The Society for Radiological Protection (SRP). As of 2022 there are 53 IRPA Associate societies covering 68 countries. All AURPO members are members of IRPA as AURPO is a Partner Society of SRP and the Executive Committee has agreed that AURPO will pay the IRPA subscription for all its members.
Resources
The Role of IRPA in Education and Training of Radiation Protection Professionals
IRPA News and Bulletins can be found here, and guidance documents here.
SRP’s Committee for International Liaison and Partner Societies (CLIPS)
AURPO is a Partner Society of SRP and a member of SRP’s Committee for International Liaison and Partner Societies. CLIPS ensures that the UK has a unified voice that is able to provide strong and effective input into IRPA strategy and programmes, as well as taking a significant role in IRPA congresses. CLIPS also provides a forum for Partner Societies (PS) to exchange information and collaborate.