ECO SCIENCE FOUNDATION

ECO SCIENCE FOUNDATION

CHARTER OF THE ECO SCIENCE FOUNDATION

 WHEREAS it is expedient to provide for the establishment of the ECO Science Foundation for building up a reservoir of highly skilled, scientific and technical manpower and strengthening the scientific and research institutions in the Member States and for matters ancillary thereto is hereby approved as follows:


1. SHORT TITLE, EXTENT AND COMMENCEMENT:

a. This may be called the Charter of ECO Science Foundation 1995.

b. It extends to the whole of ECO Region.

c. Following its approval by the ECO Council of Ministers, the Charter of the Foundation will come into force for each country according to its ratification or approval procedure based on its national regulations.


2. DEFINITIONS:

 In this Charter, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context:

“Foundation” means the E.C.O. Science Foundation established under this Charter and represented by its Board of Trustees and Governors.

 

3. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FOUNDATION:

a. The Foundation shall be a body corporate by the name of the ECO Science Foundation having perpetual succession and common seal with power subject to the provisions of this Charter to acquire, hold and dispose of property, both movable and immovable and shall by the said name sue and be sued.
 

b. The Headquarters of the Foundation shall be at Islamabad, Pakistan with coordinating centres in each member country.

4. FUNCTION OF THE FOUNDATION:

The Foundation shall function as a coordinating, financial and monitoring agency for the promotion and support of following activities in the Member States.

a. Evaluation of existing training facilities in the region and formulation of training programmes for building up highly skilled scientific and technical manpower.

b. Designing of programmes to strengthen the scientific, engineering and research and development institutions.

c. Survey of problem areas faced by member countries in technology, and technology assessment for individual Member States and facilitating technology transfer.

d. Promotion of goal oriented Research Projects, including joint research programmes; promotion of scientific projects of economic and/or commercial values contributing to the development plans or projects of the member countries.

e. Exchange of Science and Technology information through designated Centres and Institutions working as a network.

f. Strengthening of scientific cooperation through institutional linkages, exchange of Scientists and holding of collaborative seminars and conferences on major Science and Technology issues in Member States.

g. Promotion of improved methods in the teaching of science.

h. Publication of quarterly scientific bulletin which will contain the research papers and articles of the scholars of the member countries in the fields of natural and fundamental, social, human, medical and applied sciences and technology.

i. Holding of science and technology fairs and exhibitions in collaboration with Member States.

j. Grant of awards and prizes to eminent Scientists in the field of Science and Technology in ECO region.
k. Identification of elite Science and Technology organizations as focal points in ECO Member States.

l. Strengthening of the Scientific and Technology libraries in the Member States.


5. BOARD OF TRUSTEES:


The policy guidelines and funding of the Foundation shall vest in a Board of Trustees which will consist of the following:


- All the Ministers responsible for Science and Technology of the member countries or the authorities of the relevant national institutions designated by the Minister.

- Secretary General ECO

- Chairman ECO Science Foundation as its Member/Secretary.

- The first meeting of the Board of Trustees will be held in Pakistan chaired by Pakistan’s Minister of Science and Technology.  Subsequently, the meetings will be chaired by Ministers of ECO countries in alphabetical order.

- The Board will meet at least once a year.

 

6. BOARD OF GOVERNORS:

a. The general direction, conduct and management of the affairs of the Foundation, including administration of its funds, shall vest in a Board of Governors consisting of the following:-

Full-Time Members:

 1. Chairman  The Board of Trustees will send a panel of
2. Member  Scientists Committee to the Council of  Ministers
    for approval of Chairman and full time Members.

Part-Time Members:

1. One Scientist or Engineer to be nominated by each Member State as Technical Member of Board of Governors.
 

b. The remuneration and other terms and conditions of service of the Chairman and other full-time Members of the Board shall be determined by the ECO Council of Ministers.


7. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD:

The Chairman of the Board of Governors shall be the Chairman of the Foundation and shall be appointed for a term of three years from the nationals of Member States on rotation basis having adequate experience in planning and management of Science & Technology.

The Council of Ministers may, at any time, terminate the appointment of Chairman and Members on the recommendations of Board of Trustees without notice and without assigning any reason.

 

8. TERM OF MEMBERS OF THE BOARD:


The members of the Board of Governors shall hold office for a term of two years and shall be eligible for re-nomination.  The full time members, however, shall not hold office for more than two consecutive terms.

 

9. MEETINGS OF THE BOARD:


a. The meeting of the Board shall be held at least once a year and shall be presided over by the Chairman or in his absence, by a senior member, nominated by the Chairman.

b. All decisions at a meeting of the Board shall be taken by consensus.  However, in case of difference of opinion by a majority of votes of the Member States
(i.e. 6 Months).


10. QUORUM AT THE MEETING OF THE BOARD:

To constitute a quorum at a meeting of the Board, not less than 2/3 members shall be present.
 

11. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:

There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of the Chairman, the full-time members, and two scientists to be nominated by the Board from amongst part-time Board Members.  The Executive Committee shall meet at least once every six months.

 

12. EXPERT COMMITTEES:


The Board may, as and when required, delegate to the Chairman or the Executive Committee such of its powers and functions as it may consider necessary.

 

13. EXPERT COMMITTEES:


The Foundation may set up expert Committee to scrutinize and review research proposals submitted to the Foundation and to evaluate the results of research sponsored by the Foundation.


14. FUNDS:


The Funds of the Foundation shall consist of:

 a. Contributions made by the ECO Member States.

 b. Donations and Endowments.

 c. Sources from other International Organizations.


15. BUDGET:


The Foundation shall prepare a statement of its receipt and expenditure for each financial year which will be approved by the Board of Governors and Board of Trustees.
 

16. ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT:


a. The funds of the Foundation shall be kept in any scheduled bank of repute approved by the Executive Committee.

b. The accounts of the Foundation shall be maintained in such form and manner as the Board of Governors may determine.

c. The accounts of the foundation shall be audited by the Audit Board which will be appointed by the Board of Trustees on the recommendation of the CESCC.  The Audit Board shall consist of three Chartered Accountants from the ECO Member countries to be selected by the CESCC upon the proposal of the Member countries.

 

17. APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS AND STAFF:

a. The Executive Committee may with the approval of ECO Council of Ministers propose the appointment of such officers and staff and engage such consultants or experts, as it may consider necessary, for the efficient performance of its functions on such terms and conditions as it may deem fit.

b. The Foundation shall formulate its own financial and staff regulations and procedures which shall be approved by the Board of Trustees within one year of its commencement.

c. In fixing the terms and conditions of service of its officers and staff, the Foundation shall conform to the scale of pay, allowances and conditions of service as specified in the service regulations of the Foundation.

 

18. ANNUAL REPORT:


The annual report of the Foundation, which shall among other things, clearly bring out the benefits accruing to the Member States as a result of the activities sponsored by the Foundation, shall be prepared by the Chairman and alongwith the audited accounts of the Foundation submitted through its Board of Trustees to the ECO Council of Ministers for approval.
 

19. AMENDMENTS OF THE CHARTER:

The Charter may be reviewed as and when required on the basis of proposals either by Board of Governors, a Member State or Chairman.  The amended Charter of ECO Science Foundation shall require approval of Board of Trustees and the ECO Council of Ministers.

 

 Done at Islamabad on this 15th day of March in the year One Thousand Nine Hundred and Ninety Five, in one single copy in English which shall remain deposited with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and duly certified copies shall be transmitted by the Government to all the signatory states within thirty days from today.

FOR THE ISLAMIC STATE OF AFGHANISTAN----------------------------------

FOR THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN---------------------------------------------

FOR THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN-------------------------------------------

FOR THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN-------------------------------------------

FOR THE REPUBLIC OF KYRGHYZSTAN-----------------------------------------

FOR THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN-----------------------------------

FOR THE REPUBLIC OF TAJIKISTAN----------------------------------------------

FOR THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY---------------------------------------------------

FOR TURKMENISTAN------------------------------------------------------------------

FOR THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN--------------------------------------------

 

Constitution of Association of Universities for ECO Countries


Article 1: Name

Name of the Association shall be the Association of Universities of ECO Countries (AUE)

Article 2: Headquarters
   The Association shall have its headquarters in Tehran, Iran.
Article 3: Purposes

The primary purpose of the Association is to provide the means by which the universities of the ECO Member Countries may work together in order to:
a) Enhancing the level of scientific researches in all fields, exchanging their findings, and linking them with the developmental requirements of ECO Member Countries;
b) Upgrading and developing higher education to address the needs of ECO Member Countries` societies and benefit by the scientific and technological new developments in line with the priority of needs;
c) Furthering cooperation in such a way as to enhance the exchange of experiences, studies, programs and visits in the fields of research, education, science, culture and technology;
d) Upgrading Member Universities` knowledge and human capacities; 
e) Implementing programs which will assist in the development of member countries whether financed by the member countries themselves or by other funding agencies.
g) Holding sessions, symposia and workshops for continuous training in member Universities.
F) Helping find scholarships for the students of member Universities;
Article 4: Membership

a) All members shall enjoy the same rights, and shall have the same obligations;

b) Each member University shall designate a correspondent, normally the chief executive, to be responsible for relations with the Association. All communications may be validly addressed to this correspondent;

c) Each member of the Association shall pay an annual subscription, the amount of which shall be determined by the General Conference;

d) In the event of failure of any member to carry out the obligations, as set forth in the constitution and the by-laws, the Board shall have the right to suspend the membership of such a member. However the member University shall have the right to appeal to the General Conference against such suspension;

e) Members may resign from the Association after giving six months' notice of intention to do so to the Secretariat in writing. The subscription for the year already started shall remain payable.

Article 5: Organs of the Association
The organs of the Association shall be:

1) The General Conference
2) The President and Vice-President;
3) The Board
4) The Secretariat
Article 6: The General Conference
The General Conference shall be the supreme organ of the Association. Among other things it shall have the power:

1- to determine the general policy and program of the Association and in particular to determine the extent of collaboration with other bodies dealing with science and education;

2- to elect the President and Vice-President of the Association; and

3- to elect the other members of the Board.

The General Conference shall meet at least once every year at the time and place determined at its preceding meeting. In case of emergency, this place and time may be changed by the President of the Association.

Article 7: The President and Vice-President
a) The President of the Association shall be elected by the General Conference by a majority of members present and voting, and shall remain in office for a single term of four years.

b) The General Conference shall then elect a Vice-President by a majority vote for one term of four years.

c) Only chief executives representing full members of the Association present at the meeting of the General Conference shall be eligible for election as a President or Vice President

d) The President shall not be eligible for re-election as President but the Vice President shall be eligible for election as President, Vice President or member of the Board.

e) Whenever the President is unable to act, the Vice President shall take the President's place.
Article 8: The Board

The Board shall give effect to the decisions of the General Conference, It shall:

a) direct and control the activities of the Secretariat;

b) prepare the agenda of the General Conference and present thereto the program to be followed until the Conference shall next meet in ordinary session;

Article 9: The Secretariat
The secretariat would be managed jointly by the University of Tehran and ECO cultural institute and its location would be decided later by the two parties.
Under the supervision of the Board, the Secretariat shall:

a) collect and disseminate documentary material and other information of relevance to member institutions;
b) promote collaborative research and other contacts among the researchers of the region;
c) promote exchanges and other movements of University staff and students; and
d) undertake such other tasks as are compatible with the aims of the Association.
Article 10: Resources
The resources of the Association shall include:
1- Subscription fees and contributions of Member Universities, in addition to revenue from the Association`s publications. The General Conference shall set up the amount of subscription fees and contributions.
2- Resources secured from cooperation agreements concluded between the Association and other parties.
3- Subsidies, donations and endowments provided by the tending organizations , Member Universities, non-Member Universities, institutions, individuals or any other resources.
Article 11: Amendments
1- The amendments proposed to this Constitution shall become effective as soon as they are approved by a two-thirds majority of the General Conference.
2- The General Conference shall have the right to adopt, through a two-thirds majority vote, the necessary regulations for the enforcement of the provisions of this Article.
Article 12: Dissolution
The Association may be dissolved by the decision of a two-thirds majority of members who have paid their subscription for the preceding year. In case of dissolution, the assets of the Association shall be transferred to UNESCO to be used in the interests of higher education in the region.