TC2 “Software: Theory and Practice” aims to obtain a deeper understanding of programming concepts in order to improve the quality of software by studying all aspects of the software development process, both theoretical and practical. As this is quite broad, from the earliest days it was recognized that multiple facets should be explored independently and simultaneously. And thus TC2 has working groups on fundamental aspects of programming languages, on methodology and technology, on particular kinds of software that need specialized techniques, and on particular means of implementing software.

By and large the working groups of TC2 are very forward looking: it is frequently the case that items first discussed in one of its groups does not reach mainstream software development practice for a decade (or two!). The people of TC2 regard the freedom to take the long view as a feature and a strength of their work. Some fundamental techniques (such as BNF for describing grammars) were explicitly invented by a TC2 group, 2.1 to be precise.

Deep exploration is the norm. What is also common is the exploration of threads that turn out to be dead ends! Thus new ideas for specification languages, exploration of varied type systems, unconventional programming means, ridiculously general combinators, and strange abstractions are frequent discussion points. Explicitly chaotic? Yes. But out of that chaos, radical new ideas emerge, and many have had significant impact on most areas of software development.

Recently, and until this year (2025), IFIP TC3 has fulfilled its primary role of providing an international forum for educators to discuss research and practice in educational uses of digital technologies and the teaching of computing and informatics through four Working Groups (WGs):

• 1 – Informatics and Digital Technologies in School Education
• 3 – Research into Educational Applications of Information Technologies
• 4 – Professional, Higher and Vocational Education in ICT
• 7 – Information Technology in Educational Management

In education, as for any other societal group, the continuous developments of digital technologies mean that there is an ongoing need for all stakeholders to explore how to apply emerging and existing technologies to educational and training practices. Following a series of webinars and a report raising critical points and advice about emerging technologies in education (the Zanzibar Declaration), IFIP TC3 contributed widely to a published IFIP Task Force report on sustaining relevant digital inclusive education.

More recently, IFIP TC3 has taken forward a focus on the widely discussed topic of artificial intelligence (AI) and generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) as they relate to education and training. The picture is far from clear; there are advocates and there are critics; there are those who see opportunities and those who see challenges.

Following a successful panel session on AI run at the IFIP TC3 OCCE 2024 conference in Bournemouth, UK, IFIP TC3 is pleased to announce the latest opportunities to engage in and discuss this important contemporary arena:

• IFIP TC3’s OCCE 2025 conference will be run in Rabat, Morocco, on 28^th to 31^st October 2025, and its overall theme is “Rethinking Education Through the Lens of AI and Other Breakthrough Technologies”
• IFIP TC3 proposed a recently approved WG – WG3.9 will allow interested members to focus on its designated theme “Artificial Intelligence in Education” – details are to be announced shortly on the IFIP website

TC11 contains 14 Working Groups across a diverse range of themes:

• WG 11.1: Information Security Management
• WG 11.2: Pervasive Systems Security
• WG 11.3: Data and Application Security and Privacy
• WG 11.4: Network & Distributed Systems Security
• WG 11.5: IT Assurance and Audit
• WG 11.6: Identity Management
• WG 9.6/11.7: Information Technology Mis-Use and the Law
• WG 11.8: Information Security Education
• WG 11.9: Digital Forensics
• WG 11.10: Critical Infrastructure Protection
• WG 11.11: Trust Management
• WG 11.12: Human Aspects of Information Security and Assurance
• WG 8.11/11.13: Information Systems Security Research
• WG 11.14: Secure Engineering

In addition to events organised by working groups, the TC hosts the annual flagship event – IFIP SEC.  SEC is a well-established international conference on Security and Privacy that aims to bring together researchers and practitioners from academia, industry and governmental institutions to elaborate and discuss IT Security and Privacy Challenges that we are facing today and into the future.

2025 marks the 40th anniversary of the SEC conference series with colleagues at the University of Maribor, Slovenia hosting this landmark event. The provisional program (28 papers and 3 keynote speakers) is available with registration currently open.

Proceedings from this conference series can be found through our publisher Springer under the International Conference on ICT Systems Security and Privacy Protection series.

The SEC conference hosting rotates globally, and in June 2026 we are delighted to welcome the 41st IFIP SEC to Perth, Australia in partnership with Edith Cowan University.

If you are interested in engaging with any of our working groups, visit the TC11 website and contact the respective secretary for the group.