Become a New Member

Scientific Committee members must be international members of ICOMOS and/or IFLA (International Federation of Landscape Architects). Potential new members are nominated by their ICOMOS National Committee or their IFLA Member Association, and a supporting letter from an Expert or Honorary member of the ISCCL.  If there is no ICOMOS National Committee in your Country, and you are an International Member of ICOMOS, you should submit two supporting letters from current Expert or Honorary members of the ISCCL. If you are a Member of IFLA without a Member Organization, submit a letter directly from IFLA.

Applications include a statement of interest, a complete CV, and two letters of nomination. The applications are reviewed by an Elections Sub-Committee, and the results are submitted to a meeting of the Voting Members in the last quarter of the year (October through December).  Elections occur once a year at the annual Voting Meeting of the Committee.

New members are elected to the ISCCL as Associate Members for the first 3 years (unless the Voting Members consider their expertise exceptional) based on the following criteria:

  1. on their knowledge of cultural landscape identification, theory and/or management;
  2. national and/or international standing in the field, and
  3. an interest in working with other members to advance the field of cultural landscapes in the recognition, protection, theoretical understanding, interpretation and management of cultural landscapes, and achieve the objectives of the ISCCL.
Members at the 2015 ISCCL meeting and Scientific Symposium on Jeju Island, Korea.

Application Instructions

Thank you for your interest in joining the ICOMOS IFLA International Scientific Committee on Cultural Landscapes (ISCCL). Eligibility for membership is determined annually by the ISCCL Voting Members. In addition to considering the credentials of each applicant, Voting Members consider the need for members from countries that are underrepresented, or are not represented at all in the ISCCL. The application process includes the following steps:

  1. Complete the application form to the left and then click on the subsequent form to load your attachments. 
  2. Submit the form by the deadline. In 2025 the deadline for submission of application materials is September 12, 2025.
  3. Review of Applications by the Elections Sub-Committee.  The Elections Sub-Committee are a group of six Expert Members of the ISCCL, one selected from each region.  Conclusion of the review of applications occurs prior to the Voting Meeting, and a summary of recommendations are presented to the Annual Meeting of the Voting Members.
  4. Review of applications by the ISCCL Voting Members.  The Voting Members are ISCCL Expert Members elected to review complete applications that were submitted by the deadline. They determine if applicants correspond with ISCCL’s priorities for new members and if they meet the qualifications for membership.  If so, the Voting Members determine if Associate or Expert Membership is appropriate. (See Membership Categories below.)
  5. Decision of the Voting Members. At the annual Voting Meeting the Voting Members decide which applicants are to be accepted as Expert Members and which are to be accepted as Associate Members. Either category is elected for a three-year term. Other membership decisions, described below, are made at the Voting Meeting.
  6. Notification of new members. The ISCCL President or Membership Secretary notifies new members of the outcome of their application.

Application Materials for Prospective New Members.  The following materials are required for an application to be considered complete:

  1. a completed application form (see the form to the left);
  2. upload a CV that emphasizes the applicant’s work with cultural landscapes;
  3. upload at least one letter of endorsement from a current member of the ISCCL who is familiar with the applicant’s work; and
  4. a letter of endorsement from the applicant’s National Committee (if an ICOMOS member), or the IFLA member’s Membership Association.  If the ICOMOS applicant does not have a National Committee for their country, and/or the IFLA member is an Individual Member, a second letter from an Expert or Honorary member of the ISCCL will be accepted (please contact the membership Secretary for their approval prior to selecting this option).

Submission of the application. All application materials must be submitted electronically by the application deadline. The deadline for 2025 applications is September 12, 2025. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Membership Terms. All members are elected for 3-year terms. At the conclusion of the third year, a member can apply for another 3-year term. 

Membership Categories. The ISCCL has two categories of new membership: Expert and Associate, however with rare exceptions, all newly elected members of the Committee will be that the Associate level.

All ISCCL members must be members of ICOMOS or IFLA. That membership must be maintained for the duration of ISCCL membership.

Associate Members have no experience in working in the ISCCL, and may have advanced knowledge and experience with cultural landscapes, or only some knowledge of cultural landscapes and some experience working with them.  Members with developing knowledge and experience will be asked to join the “Emerging Professionals” sub-group.

Expert members have had at least three years experience on the Committee, and have substantial level of knowledge and experience with cultural landscapes.

Voting Members are Expert Members who have served for at least three years, and are recommended by their National Committee to carry out the duties of the country’s voting member. Only one Voting Member per country is permitted.  A Voting Member can be re-elected twice, for a total of three consecutive terms (9 years), after which the role passes to another Expert Member of the ISCCL if available.

The ISCCL has one other category of membership, Honorary Membership, reserved for Expert Members who have served the ISCCL in an outstanding capacity for an extended period of time.  Honorary Members have made substantial contributions to the ISCCL and its work.  Candidates for Honorary Membership are recommended by the Bureau, and elected at the Voting Meeting.

Priorities for New Members in 2025. The ISCCL strives to have members from around the world, with each continent or region well represented. Gaining new members from countries who are either not represented, and/or have a very small number of members are a priority for new member recruitment.