Constitution

Constitution

Chapter 1: General Stipulations
1.1 The name of the organization is: The Comparative Education Society of Hong Kong (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Society’ ).
1.2 The objectives of the Society are:
a. to promote the study of comparative education in Hong Kong;
b. to disseminate ideas and information, through seminars and publications and other means, on recent developments, in Hong Kong and abroad, of comparative education scholarship;
c. to liaise with other scholarly associations of comparative education and of other areas of educational research, in Hong Kong and abroad; and
d. to raise funds by subscription from members and otherwise to carry out the above objectives
Chapter 2: Membership
Membership
2.1.1 Membership is open to any person who is resident in Hong Kong and who is prepared to contribute to the implementation of the objectives of the society; and
(i) who holds a higher degree in comparative education or in a cognate field; or
(ii) who is following a course of study leading to such as degree; or
(iii) who has published scholarly work in comparative education or in a cognate field; or
(iv) who is a member of the teaching staff of one the institutions of teacher education in Hong Kong.
2.1.2 Persons who are not resident in Hong Kong at any time may still be eligible for member by virtue of long and close connections with the study of comparative education in Hong Kong.
2.1.3 For the purpose of membership, the cognate fields of comparative education are: anthropology of education, economics of education, history of education, sociology of education, sociolinguistics, and such other scholarly disciplines as the Executive Committee may from time to time determine.
2.1.4 In applying for membership, an applicant still become a member when his or her application is approved by the Executive Committee, and the prescribed fees paid.
Rights
2.2 Members have the right to attend the Annual General Meeting, the Extraordinary General Meeting, to elect, be elected, propose, vote and recommend new members.
2.3.1 Members are entitled to participate in all the seminars and other scholarly and social gatherings held by the Society.
2.3.2 Members are entitled to receive the newsletter and such other periodical publication the Society may decide to publish.
Obligations
2.4 Members have the duty to attend the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).
2.5 Members shall abide by the Constitution of the Society and the resolutions passed by the AGM or EGM.
2.6 Members shall pay the annual membership fees prescribed by the AGM.
2.7 Members are expected to contribute towards the Society either by their scholarly endeavours and participation in the activities sponsored by the society, or in other ways as recognized by the Executive Committee.
Chapter 3: Organization, Functions and Powers
3.1 The supreme authority of the society is vested in the AGM during the recess of which the Executive Committee is the executive organ.
3.2 The Executive Committee consists of: one President, one Vice-President, one Honorary Treasurer one Honorary Secretary, the immediate past President,and not more than two executive committee members co-opted by the Executive Committee.
3.3.1 The Executive Committee of the Society (except the past President and the co-opted members) is elected in the AGM and to serve gratis. Their term of office is two years and they may be re-elected.
3.3.2 The term of office shall begin one month after the election, and last until one month after the next election at an AGM.
3.4 The Executive Committee members shall nominate and elect among themselves to the various offices within one month after their election in the AGM, and notify the general membership of their decisions.
3.5 When both the President and the Vice-president are absent from a meeting, those Executive Committee members present should elect among themselves a temporary chairman to preside over the meeting.
3.6 When an Executive Committee member vacates his / her office, the Executive Committee should arrange a by-election to the vacant post within the Executive Committee.
3.7 The Annual General Meeting – its functions and power:
a. to elect the Executive Committee;
b. to review and adopt the progress report, the financial report and the minutes of the previous AGM or EGM of the Society;
c. to assess the annual fees;
d. to appoint the banks for the Society;
e. to rescind, amend or add to any of the provisions of the Constitution of the Society;
f. to transact any other business deemed necessary by the Executive Committee.
3.8 The Extraordinary General Meeting – its functions and power.
a. During the recess of the AGM, the EGM may be called to deal with urgent matters upon the request of over one third of all the members or one half of the Executive Committee members of the society who should raise such a request in written form, bearing their signatures, to the President.
b. The functions of the EGM are to rescind, amend or add to any of the provisions of the Constitution.
c. To assess any other business deemed necessary by the Executive Committee.
d. However, discussion held and resolutions passed at the meeting should be confined to only those topics stipulated in the agenda.
3.9 The Executive Committee Meeting- its functions and power
a. The functions of the Executive Committee are to:
i. implement the resolutions passed by the AGM and the EGM;
ii. prepare the annual budget and other reports for the AGM;
iii. attend to the daily affairs of the Society;
iv. set up standing or ad hoc committees deemed necessary;
v. make recommendations to the AGM;
b. The President shall represent the Society, direct the various officers of the Executive Committee in their work, take overall charge of the work of the Society, and preside over all the AGM, EGM and Executive Committee meetings.
c. The Vice-President shall act as President in the absence of the President.
d. The Honorary Treasurer shall take charge of the financial matters of the Society. He / She shall jointly sign all the cheques for the Society with either the President or the Vice-President, and shall prepare the annual budget and compile the annual report.
e. The Honorary Secretary shall take charge of the secretarial matters of the Society.
f. The other Committee members shall assist the President to execute the daily affairs of the Society.
Chapter 4: Meetings
4.1 Annual General Meeting
a. The AGM of the Society is normally held in January or February.
b. The quorum shall consist of at least one third of all the members or 12 members, whichever the smaller.
c. Notice of the meeting together with the agenda shall be delivered to members at least one week before the meeting.
d. In the absence of a quorum, the meeting shall be adjourned and be convened again within two weeks. If the following meeting still lacks a quorum, the agenda shall be discussed and resolved by the Executive Committee members.
4.2 Extraordinary General Meeting
a. When the President receives a written request for an EGM, he she shall call the meeting within two weeks.
b. The quorum shall consist of at least one third of all the members or 12 members, whichever the smaller.
c. In the absence of a quorum, the procedure should be the same as stated in article 4.1d above.
4.3 Executive Committee Meeting
a. The meeting is normally held once every two months.
b. Notice of the meeting together with the agenda shall be delivered to the Executive Committee members one week before the meeting.
c. The quorum shall consist of at least half of all the Executive Committee members.
d. In the absence of quorum, the President shall call the meeting again within 2 weeks. passed by a simple majority of the members present and voting in the AGM or EGM, and approved by the Registrar of Societies.
Chapter 5: Election
5.1 Candidates for the Executive Committee shall be nominated by a member and seconded by another member.
5.2 Members of the Executive Committee shall be elected from amongst the candidates by the members of the Society in the A.G.M..
Chapter 6: Use of Funds
6.1 Funds of the society shall be applied solely to meet its recurrent expenditure and for enterprises stipulated in article 1.3 ‘Objectives’ of the Society, and shall not be used for any other purpose.
Chapter 7: Debts and Liabilities
7.1 Any debts of the society shall be borne by all the Executive Committee members of the term in which the debts are incurred.
Chapter 8: Rights
8.1 In case the Society shall dissolve, the decision shall be made by the AGM or EGM and assented to by over two-thirds of all the members of the Society. Any remaining assets of the Society upon its dissolution should be donated to local charitable organizations.
8.2 Any amendment to this Constitution shall be passed by a simple majority of the members present and voting in the AGM or EGM, and approved by the Registrar of Societies.

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