INTERNAL ORGANISATION AND ADMINISTRATION

Article 9

The bodies of the Association are:

a) General Conference

b) Administrative Board

c) Secretariat

Article 10

The General Conference is composed of the members of the Association.

Article 11

The Administrative Board:

a) Elects the President and Vice-Presidents from among its Administrative Board Members;

b) Prepares the agenda of the General Conference and presents thereto the working programme to be followed until the next General Conference meets;

c) Approves or amends the Association's annual working programme.

d) Reports to the General Conference concerning all its activities.

Article 12

The President is elected by the Administrative Board by a simple majority of its vote.

Article 13

The Executive Director, Head of the Secretariat, is nominated by the President and acts according to the President's instructions.

Article 14

The Secretariat of the Association shall establish its services in a country decided by the Administrative Board. The secretariat shall provide its corresponding office equipment and working staff and it shall also cover all expenses for the daily office operation.

It may be moved to another place by a simple majority decision of the Administrative Board.

SECTION I. THE GENERAL CONFERENCE

Article 15

The General Conference shall meet once every two years. Its function is to be the advisory body to the Administrative Board on matters associated with the scientific policy and general strategy of the Association.

Article 16

Between General Conferences, there may be conferences of members to discuss matters of general concern to marine-related fields. These conferences do not involve voting on IAMRI business.

SECTION II. THE PRESIDENT

Article 17

The President and two Vice Presidents of the Association shall be elected by the Administrative Board and shall remain in office until the election of a new President by the next Administrative Board Meeting, which is to be held every other year.

The President shall not be eligible to vote, except for a casting vote in case of an equality of votes being cast by the members.

Article 18

The President of the Association shall chair the sessions of the Administrative Board and the General Conference.

SECTION III. THE ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD

Article 19

The first Administrative Board is formed by the seven members who have taken the initiative to organize IAMRI.

Article 20

The Administrative Board shall meet during the General Conference which is to be held every other year. It may be convened for extraordinary sessions by the President and shall be so convened by him or her on the written request of a simple majority of the members of the Board.

The Administrative Board approves the draft agenda for the General Conference.

The Administrative Board may appoint sub-committees if necessary.

The cost of attendance at the Administrative Board meetings is the responsibility of the members of the Board.

SECTION IV. THE SECRETARIAT

Article 21

Under the supervision of the Administrative Board and the direction of the President, the Secretariat:

a) Organises a centre for information on questions of international interest related to higher education and marine-related research and provides, by appropriate means, for the dissemination of this information;

b) Facilitates the exchange of students and scientific staff, and develops means for better distribution and exchange of laboratory materials, books and other equipment;

c) Undertakes such other tasks as are compatible with the aims of the Association; and

d) Prepares the draft agenda for the General Conference; the draft is to be approved via correspondence by the Administrative Board and issued to the General Conference, not less than one month before its meeting.

Article 22

The Executive Director of the Association shall be nominated by the President.

Article 23

The Executive Director of the Association:

a) Acts as Head of the Secretariat under the supervision of the Administrative Board and the direction of the President;

b) Represents the Association at law and in all acts of civil life;

c) Recruits the staff of the Secretariat and exercises managerial authority over it; and

d) Presents every year to the Administrative Board a working programme and a report on the activities of the preceding year.