The Constitution of Asian University Presidents Forum

 

Chapter One  General Principles

Article One Asian University Presidents Forum (hereinafter referred to as “the Forum”) originated from the Non-Governmental Collaborative Association of the Chinese-Thai Presidents of Institutions of Higher Learning, set up in 1992 in Thailand in order to “establish contacts with one another, exchange information and expertise in a bid to promote joint developments.”

Article Two In line with the principle of “voluntary participation, equality, and good will”, member institutions of the Forum regularly exchange information about their new measures, experience and issues in the “promotion of reforms, intensification of management, human resource development and extension of disciplines” and explore possibilities to collaborate on areas and programs of mutual interest.

Chapter Two Organization

Article Three The Forum is composed of universities and institutions which participate on a voluntary basis. At its initial stage, members included universities from Thailand and Guangdong China which have paid visits to one another in recent years. At a later time, prospective members will gradually include universities in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and the other provinces of China as well as those in Southeast Asia and Asia at large, so as to make it an international and educationally collaborative organization of non-governmental nature in the Asian region.

Article Four The Forum will not set up a standing executive council, but the four initiator universities and institutions and those who have hosted the forum are set to be standing institutions. During each forum, the president of the host university or institution will be the chair of the forum and summon all the presidents of standing institutions to discuss relevant issues. Guangdong University of Foreign Studies is designated to be the secretariat of Asian University Presidents’ Forum, which will be responsible for the routine liaison and coordination after the annual forum conference. The day-to-day affairs will be dealt with by the host institution for the annual forum. The host shall designate a special department dealing with preparation for the current forum and the hand-over procedure for the next one.

Article Five The Forum is to establish regular liaison and communications channels. Each member institution shall make available telephone and fax numbers, website and mailing addresses, liaison unit and contact persons to the host, who will compile an address book and distribute it to each member institution. An official website for Asian University Presidents Forum will be launched by the secretariat in order to enhance the development of the Forum and the communication between Asian higher education institutions.

Chapter Three Activity

Article Six The Forum will be held once a year, with the president of each member institution being its host in turn and with 3-5 participants attending the meeting. The succeeding host institution and the time for the next meeting will be decided by the Forum after the discussion among the then host institution and all the standing institutions. New host institutions can be nominated by the secretariat for standing committee discussions if there should be no volunteering host institution after the end of rotation. Standing institutions which have hosted the Forum can also rotate to organize the Forum for the continuation of the Forum.

Article Seven In conformity with the spirit of the “general principles”, the host institution shall send an invitation to each member university six months ahead of schedule and inform each and every one of them of the major theme, schedule and venue for the Forum, for all necessary formalities and preparations for the conference.

Article Eight The host institution of each forum shall not only make arrangements for the routine affairs of the conference, board and lodging, transport, interpretation and translation, but shall also make out the minutes of the conference when it is concluded and distribute them to all the participants.

Chapter Four Outlay

Article Nine Expenses for traveling to and from annual Forum shall be covered by the participants themselves. The host institution shall make a budget in advance and inform the members of the cost for board and lodging, transport, interpretation and translation, etc. These costs will be met in the form of the registration fee for the conference and will be charged when the participants check in at the secretariat of the Forum.

Chapter Five Symbols

Article Ten Forum flag, forum emblem and forum logo are set as the symbols of the forum. Each host university should hand over the flag and emblem to the succeeding host university.

Chapter Six Supplementary Rules

Article Eleven This Constitution will come into effect when it has been discussed and adopted by the members of the Forum.

Article Twelve The right of making additional provisions and amendments to this Constitution belongs to the plenary session of the Forum.

NOVEMBER 7TH, 2015

ADOPTED BY THE 14TH ASIAN UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS’ FORUM