The name of the Association shall be the Academic Paediatrics Association of Great Britain and Ireland; APA (GBI).
The objective of the Association is to promote academic child health and academic paediatrics for the benefit of children’s health.
The aims of the Association are to promote excellence in research into child health and support the teaching of paediatrics by:
The membership shall comprise all levels of clinical and non-clinical academic staff, and those with NHS appointments who are actively involved in research related to paediatrics and child health. Applications for membership, which is by self nomination, will not require seconding but will be subject to approval by the Committee. Membership will commence on receipt of the membership fee.
The Committee shall comprise the President (chair), Secretary, Treasurer (the officers of the Committee) and 3 additional members of the Executive Committee: a Past-President, and two academic trainee representatives. Committee members will be elected by the members present at the Annual General Meeting or via the internet, as determined by the Committee. If the election is held via the internet, the results will be subject to approval by the members at the following AGM. Members will serve for a term of up to 3 years, and be eligible to stand for a further 1 – 2 years. The Committee will have the authority to co-opt up to 3 further members who will have full voting rights. Meetings of the Committee will be convened by the Secretary as required.
The Executive Committee has the following ex-officio members-
Vice President for Science and Research, RCPCH
Chair, Academic Training Committee, RCPCH
The AGM may delegate powers to the Committee. These may include the planning of meetings and approval of membership nominations. The President will have the power to take decisions between meetings subject to ratification at the Committee meeting following.
There will be an Annual General Meeting at which officers are elected, a financial statement presented for approval, a subscription level set, powers to be delegated to the Committee agreed and, where necessary, amendments to the constitution considered. At least 28 clear days notice for the AGM, and any Extraordinary General Meeting called by the Committee, must be given to all members of the Association. The quorum at these meetings shall be 15 of the members of the Association, or such other number as the Committee may from time to time determine. There will be provision for postal or internet voting where, in the Committee’s view, holding an EGM is impractical or a quorum cannot be achieved.
There will be one or more academic meetings annually as determined by the Committee. Meetings will focus on academic excellence and the format will vary, to include trainee-focused, topic-specific and cross-cutting meetings around major issues.
The Association will seek to develop close links with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and the Academy of Medical Sciences.
The Association will be financed by annual subscription, the level of which will be determined by the members present at the AGM. Members who are 2 years or more in arrears with their subscriptions will be deemed to have lapsed their membership.
The Association may at any time be dissolved by a resolution passed by a two-thirds majority of the members present at the AGM or an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Association. Such a resolution may give instructions on the disposal of any assets held by or in the name of or in trust for the Association. These residual assets will be given or transferred to such other charitable bodies having aims similar to those of the Association.