FHRD elected to EAPM executive committee

The European Association for Personnel Management, founded in 1962, today brings together 27 national HR associations hailing from all around Europe, from the giant CIPD of the UK and Germany's DGPF to the more humble yet emerging associations such as those of Estonia, Bulgaria and Cyprus.

As the European representative body for human resource and personnel management, the EAPM seeks to promote and develop further knowledge of personnel issues and activities highlighting their importance to industry, commerce, and both private and public sector administration.

The Foundation for Human Resources Development joined the EAPM as a probationary member in 2002 and recently had its membership confirmed at a meeting of the executive committee, held on June 10 in Paphos, Cyprus.

Malta was also invited to form part of the EAPM executive committee for the coming two years up to June 2006, which should prove to be an important milestone for FHRD.

The foundation's CEO, John Camilleri, who was present for the meeting, sees this as an excellent opportunity for Malta. According to Mr Camilleri "Through our membership in the European Association of Personnel Management and the World Federation of Personnel Management Associations (WFPMA), we already benefit by forming part of a very large network of leading HR professionals from all over the world.

"We have much to learn from these people and their associations, and we can get a lot of necessary support to develop our own practice further. Our excellent relationship, for example, with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) of the UK has been instrumental for the foundation to develop over the years. On its own the CIPD boasts more than 140,000 members, making it the largest association of its kind in the world.

"Through the EAPM we have developed strong relationships with people like Geoff Armstrong and Frances Wilson, CIPD director general and international manager, respectively, both of whom show much respect for Malta and the foundation.

"We hope to be able to introduce some concrete examples of this co-operation in Malta over the coming months, from which all local HR professionals should be able to benefit directly. Forming part of the EAPM executive committee is yet another important step for the FHRD and we hope to make the best use of this opportunity over the next two years."

The EAPM is currently headed by Filippo Abramo of Italy as president and Dr Hans Böhm of Germany as secretary general. The EAPM organises an international HR conference every two years, with the next one being held in Dublin, Ireland, between May 11 and 13, 2005.

More details about this will be circulated as soon as they are available, since the FHRD plans to facilitate a group of Maltese delegates to attend the conference.