MED-NET Bylaws

ARTICLE II: MED-NET BODIES
II.A: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: Full members

Eligible members are all higher education institutions in Europe (e.g. medical faculties, medical schools, medical universities, university hospitals, etc.), and European associations and networks involved in Medical Education. At each full member institute or organisation, at least one person is assigned to be the formal MED-NET contact person. Full members commit themselves:

to delegate active participants in working groups, committees and boards, and to support them
to supply adequate information to working groups, when asked via inquiries, interviews or otherwise
to pay an annual membership fee

Full members have the right:

to influence the composition of the Central MED-NET Board, the Task Force and the Advisory Board (during the members consultation meetings at MED-NET conferences)
to access all information which is collected (publications, monographs, web-site, newsletters, etc.)
to make use of any services provided by the thematic network.
to host the MED-NET conference and to participate in the daily management team, when organising the annual conference
to benefit from grants provided by the European Committee to the network within the conditions of the contract with the committee concerning eligible costs, eligible countries and own contribution.

Section 2 Associated members

Associated members can be medical faculties, medical schools, and universities outside Europe, members of European networks being a member of MED-NET, and professional organisations and/or federations. The co-operation with MED-NET is aimed at synergy and may vary between:

merging in MED-NET as a separate thematic reference group
exploitation of mutual communication channels
sharing of mutual facilities and information resources
combining of annual meetings, conferences and seminars
participation in temporary co-operative projects

Concerning co-operation with associations the recognition of the autonomous position of associations and organisations shall always have first priority. The co-operation with external entities and organisations may be expressed in a co-opted membership of the Task Force and in participation in reference groups wherever necessary.

Section 3: Honorary members

Individuals who have rendered exceptional service to the network or who are internationally recognised for their merit in medical education can be granted honorary membership. The members may propose candidates for honorary membership to the CMB. Proposals for granting of honorary membership shall be put forward at least three months before the Members Assembly to the Central MED-NET Board.

As individuals, honorary members have an important role in the Public Relations and communication of MED-NET. They have the right to participate in all activities of the network. Unless participating in another role, for instance as institutional representative, they have no voting rights.

Honorary members are exempted from payment of membership fees.

Section 4: Application Procedure

Universities or organisations applying for a membership shall send a formal letter of endorsement to the chairperson of MED-NET. The endorsement letter shall contain the name of a contact person having an official mandate to represent the institution in the MED-NET organisation, the MED-NET contact person, and shall be undersigned by an official administrator (dean, president, rector).

Section 5: MED-NET contact persons

The faculty boards of the member faculties delegate the MED-NET contact person:

to represent the members' interests in MED-NET activities and in the organisation
to evaluate the performance of the organisation and the quality of the achievements
to raise new issues and topics by proposing certain activities, such as inventories, projects and/or working groups
to propose experts and dedicated contact persons for specific tasks in the organisation

The tasks and responsibilities of the MED-NET contact person are:

to represent his/her faculties interests in MED-NET
to disseminate MED-NET information within his/her faculty
to promote MED-NET services within his/her faculty
to inform and contact experts as well as the (educational) dean, the educational committee and other relevant organisations within the institution

Section 6: Membership fee

The amount of the annual contribution for membership shall be decided by the Task Force and will be fixed for a period of three years.

Section 7: 'Stand-by position' of a member

The membership may be withdrawn or postponed for such causes as failure of the Institutional Representative, or designee, activities tending to bring MED-NET into disrepute, or non payment of dues. The MED-NET Task Force is entitled to decide upon such 'stand-by' position of a MED-NET member, which means that the members' rights are postponed.

Section 8. Annual meeting

There shall be an annual MED-NET Members Assembly, which will be held at the occasion of the annual MED-NET conference.

A quorum at any regular or special meeting of MED-NET shall be the number of MED-NET members present at the time and in the place designated for the meeting.