Home >> About IAG >> Regions >>Asia-Oceania By-laws Asia-Oceania Region By-laws Regional Council  COMPOSITION: The number of nominees per country shall be as prescribed by the International Association of Gerontology’s By-Laws.  Member countries must be financial members of the IAG in order to be able to vote at Council Meetings. OFFICERS: At the time of each Regional Congress, Council shall elect two officers: Chairman (elect) Hon. Secretary/Treasurer (elect) SCIENTIFIC SUB-COMMITTEES: Council shall submit recommendations to the executive for convenors (elect) of the scientific sub-committees.  For the time being four convenors shall be nominated: Biological Sciences Clinical Medicine Social and Behavioural Sciences Policy and Planning Convenors shall have the power to co-opt SECRETARIAT: Council shall appoint a Secretariat for the Region and an appropriate person from within that organisation as Executive Secretary. EXECUTIVE: The Executive shall consist of the Officers plus the Immediate Past Chairman and the Executive Secretary (by co-option). RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENTS: In accordance with the IAG By-Laws names of the Officers and Convenors for the Scientific Sub-Committees shall be submitted for ratification to the President of the IAG at its next International Congress, at which they take office and serve until the following International Congress.  MEETINGS: The Council will meet during the IAG and Regional Congresses. BUSINESS OF COUNCIL: The Executive will conduct business between meetings and communicate otherwise by correspondence. REGIONAL CONGRESS: The Council shall select the next venue of Congress. DUTIES: The Council shall review, through appropriate documents from each country, the achievements, barriers and directions. It shall create an action plan for the Region arising out of the Review. REPORTING: Members of Council shall have an obligation to their country of nomination to keep their organization fully informed of the activities of the Region. Regional Congresses  Protocol Guidelines for Planning:The responsibility for arranging the Regional Congress of the Asia/Oceania Region is shared by the Council and the country which has been selected as the next venue. General Considerations 1.         Establishment of the Regional Congress Planning Committee 1.1       Membership Council Representatives:  Chairman, Hon. Secretary/Treasurer plus Convenors of the Scientific Sub-Committees. Host Country Representatives:  As nominated by the local organisation.  One person should be designated as the Conference Co-Coordinator.  The Committee has the power to co-opt additional members as desired. 1.2       Meetings The full Congress Planning Committee should meet at least once a year for the purpose of setting overall themes and to ensure proper regional participation. 2.         National Congress Committee 2.1       Host Association The host association shall appoint a national Organising Committee which shall be responsible to the Regional Congress Committee for the planning, organisation and conduct of the Regional Congress. 2.2       Congress Secretariat The National Congress Committee shall establish a Congress Secretariat to provide the administrative support for the Congress. 3.         Budgets The overall budget should be approved at the first meeting of the full Congress Planning Committee after being developed by the host organisation. 3.1       Income Income is derived from registration fees but may be supplemented by sponsorship, grants and donations.  It should be borne in mind that the Region’s income depends entirely on the surplus achieved at a Regional Congress and this should form an element when the Congress budget is being planned. 3.2       Expenditure All items of expenditure should be built into the budget including travel and other incidentals for speakers if the decision is to offer support.  However, it is preferable to cover this item from grants and sponsorship income. 3.3       Registration Fees These should only be determined after full consideration of the budget including all the factors mentioned above. 3.4       Amendments to Approved Budget Estimates The budget estimates are decided by the Congress Planning Committee.  Some variations may be necessary, but these should be discussed before they become effective. 3.5       Payment of Accounts Payment of accounts will be made by the local representatives and a special bank account be opened for the purpose of the Congress. At the completion of the Congress, a full accounting statement should be prepared for consideration by Council so that a decision can be taken as to the apportionment of the surplus.  4.         Programme Timetable 4.1       The order of speakers, conference sessions, themes and format of the meeting shall be the responsibility of the Congress Planning Committee in consultation with the host association which shall be responsible for carrying out the details. Adequate time should be allowed for two Council meetings and Executive meetings. 5.         Selection of Congress Themes and Speakers 5.1       The Congress Planning Committee develops the theme of the Congress, decides on the principal and/or keynote speaker(s) to be invited.  It also selects the ‘free’ papers offered and sorts them into sessions. 5.2       A ‘Call for Papers’ will be sent out by the Congress Secretariat which will include details of the format of abstracts, the relevant details about the person such as name(s), qualifications and address(es).  They should be forwarded in duplicate to the Congress Secretariat where they should be acknowledged. 6.         Mailing Lists Up-to-date information may be obtained from the Regional Secretariat as to contact points in the different countries in the Region.  Efforts should be made to get national contacts to acknowledge that they have received material from the Congress Secretariat. 7.         Registrations Registrations SHOULD ALWAYS BE ACKNOWLEDGED so that delegates can be certain that their registration has been received.