Charter

1.1. All-Russian Public Organisation "Association for Engineering Education of Russia", further to be named "the Association", is a voluntary public union of scientists, teachers, engineers and specialists of higher education engineering institutions, research institutions, scientific experimental production enterprises, technoparks, technopoles and other organizations of any administrative affiliation and forms of ownership, concerned with development and improvement of the engineering education in Russia and contributing to accelerating scientific and technological progress.

The Association activity is based on the premise that engineering education belongs to the area of Russia's strategic national interests and, in the process of the country's transition to sustainable development, engineers become key actors in the social and economic life of society.

1.2. The Association spreads its activity over the territory of most subjects of the Russian Federation.

1.3. The Association's work is based on principles of self-government, voluntary and equal status of all members, transparency and legality, independence of science, alternative approaches to scientific problems solution and interconnection of science, education and practice.

1.4. In its activities the Association is guided by the Constitution of the Russian Federation, enacted legislation of the Russian Federation and its subjects, universally accepted norms and principles of international law, and this Charter.

1.5. The Association constitutes a juridical person from the moment of its state registration, owns its separate property, may obtain and exercise, on its behalf, proprietary and personal non-proprietary rights, bear responsibilities, act as plaintiff and defendant in courts of justice and courts of arbitration. It maintains an independent balance, fixed and current assets, opens rouble and foreign currency banks accounts, possesses the stamp and forms bearing its name and other details of a juridical person.

The symbols of the Association are subject to the state registration according to the laws of the Russian Federation.

1.6. The Association is liable for its obligations with its property which may be held exigible according to the legislation of the Russian Federation.

1.7. The Association is not liable for obligations of its members. The state is not liable for obligations of the Association. The members of the Association is not liable for the obligations of the Association.

1.8. The full and abbreviated name of the Association:

The full name in Russian: Общероссийская общественная организация «Ассоциация инженерного образования России»;

The abbreviated name in Russian: АИОР.

The full name in English: Association for Engineering Education of Russia;

The abbreviated name in English: AEER

1.9. The Association Headquarters is located in the Russian Federation, Moscow.

2.1. The Association has the following goals:

• Development and improvement of engineering education and engineering profession in all their varieties involving educational, scientific and technological aspects that include teaching, consulting, research, development of engineering projects, technology transfers, providing a wide range of educational services, establishing ties with community, production and science;
• building conditions for full realization of creative potential of the Association members, with a view to advancement of scientific and technological progress;
• representation of lawful interests and protection of professional, civil, social, intellectual and other rights of the Association members;
• development of international ties and contacts in the field of engineering education, facilitating integration of Russian scientists, teachers of higher education engineering institutions, and graduate engineers into the world scientific and educational space.

2.2. The Association seeks to solve the following objectives:

• building a system of and conditions for training and maturing of a new generation of highly-educated professionals in engineering capable of maintaining a stable dynamic development of economy and achieving break-through progress in practical fields;
• elaboration and continuous updating of the doctrine of engineering education, participation in development of educational standards;
• work towards concentration of the engineering potential of Russia and the Association members on the break-through technologies and directions that lead Russia out of the social and economic crisis and create conditions for prosperous life of the people of Russia;
• revival and development of engineering schools of Russia, effective use of their potential for building the strategy of sustainable development for the country;
• activities toward joining the efforts of the government, educational institutions, organizations, firms and general public in giving priority to development of engineering education on the basis of progressive pedagogical thinking, use of "high" educational technologies, combining the best national traditions and international experience in training engineers;
• independent public and scientific assessment of state and individual programs for development and improvement of the engineering education in Russia, legal acts, research programs, projects, inventions and discoveries in accordance with the agreements signed in the established order;
• research on problems in professional education, assistance in creating new organizational forms of education (distant education, "virtual university", continuous education etc.);
• organisation of public and professional accreditation of professional educational programmes in accordance with international standards;
• participation in organisation and certification and registration of professional qualifications;
• assistance to the development of engineering educational institutions and establishment of a modern material and technical base for engineering education;
• improvement of the content of engineering education, attaining its fundamentalization, humanization and professionalization, forming a high-level informational culture of the engineering education system, targeting the language training to a fluent use of foreign language as a tool of intercultural communication, increasing the academic mobility of students to improve the quality of engineering education;
• improvement of the system of retraining and professional development of the engineering education institutions faculty and engineering corps of the country;
• establishment and expansion of ties and cooperation with associations, foundations and foreign educational institutions for exchange of specialists, interns, postgraduate and undergraduate students, visits of international undergraduate and postgraduate students to study in Russia as well as exchange of ideas and experience on developing the higher education and engineering profession, solution of problems of "exchange" and "route" education;
• creation of a system for support of the socially prestigious status of engineering education and engineering profession;
• propagation of new educational technologies for training of engineers, leaders of the engineering education worldwide;
• encouragement of dialog and cooperation among members of the Association, joining and coordination of their efforts in development of the higher engineering education;
• monitoring and analysis of international, interregional, national and regional markets for intellectual labor and production;
• participation in upgrading of qualification of the Association members, expanding their professional knowledge, organizing upgrading courses on innovations in engineering education;
• participation, organization and conduct of scientific and methodological and scientific and practical conventions, conferences, symposiums, seminars, discussions, academic readings on problems of engineering education;
• organization and holding of meeting with rectors and vice-rectors of higher engineering education establishments, deans and heads of departments;
• holding of competitions and exhibitions of engineering ideas and projects in various nominations with a view to discovering and support of most promising ideas, technologies and projects, participation in international exhibitions for engineering education programs, organization of lotteries to promote development of higher engineering education;
• instituting awards, scholarships and other honors for best scientific works and effective technologies in the field of the Association's interests;
• assistance to organisation, in accordance with the Russian legislation, of export/import of educational services, participation in development and implementation of engineering education programs in the English language for foreign students by higher education institutions, assistance in founding of interuniversity foreign branches and offices;
• foundation of the media, publishing activities, participation in preparation and publishing of the journal "Engineering Education of Russia", collective works, monographs, encyclopedias and popular science editions, periodic information and analytical reviews on problems of engineering education;
• creation of web-sites, WWW-servers on engineering education problems, as well as issue of own electronic bulletins.

3.1. In realization of its goals and objectives in accordance with the current legislation and with the established procedure the Association has the right to:

• present initiatives on various questions concerning its functions and activities defined by the Charter, introduce proposals to federal and local authorities;
• participate in decisions of federal and local authorities on the subject of the Association in order and to extent determined by the current legislation;
• carry out operative coordination of multi-purpose complex projects of the Association members within the Association's field of interest;
• maintain scientific contacts with the Russian Academy of Sciences, other state and public academies, national academies of sciences of other states, Russian and foreign scientific organization and creative unions;
• establish business contacts, collaborate in the field of science, engineering, new technologies, education, economy, business, social security with all interested juridical and natural persons, including foreign ones;
• independently work out and approve plans and programs for its activities, determine areas and amounts in allocation and expense of funds and property;
• invest its own and borrowed funds into development and improvement of engineering education in Russia;
• participate in realization of international, national and regional projects and programs and activities of Russian and foreign organizations of similar goals and objectives;
• represent and protect its rights, ensure protection of lawful rights of its members and other individuals by their request in federal and local government organs and public associations;
• establish the discussion clubs on problems of the Association activities, scientific-educational centers in different regions as well as temporary creative teams;
• be founder of non-profit organizations, including public associations;
• found the mass media, perform publishing and advertising activity;
• provide reference and consultative services, collect databases (in Russian and English) on the Association activities;
• hold seminars, workshops, conferences, symposia and other meetings on issues of activities determined by the Charter, delegate its representatives to participate in similar events in Russia and abroad;
• send the Association members abroad and accept foreign delegations and individuals in Russia;
• organize and hold expositions and other events in accordance with goals and objectives determined in the Charter;
• collect information databases on theoretical and practical questions related to activities determined by the Charter;
• provide information and consultation services;
• participate in production and distribution of printed and audio-visual products, educational and other software within the Association's field of interest;
• present in accordance with the established procedure to appropriate governmental authorities nominations for state awards, titles, prizes in the sphere of science for the most talented researchers and specialists working in the field of engineering education, Russian engineering corps, and their works;
• found, on behalf of the Association, prizes, awards, scholarships and other honors to distinguish special contribution to realization of the Association's goals and objectives;
• organize and hold competitions in the Association of scientific works, articles, research projects, teaching and methodological materials within the Association's field of interest;
• perform academic, lecturing, popularizing and educational activities in accordance with the current legislation;
• set up centres, commissions, committees, councils and other subdivisions according to the Association's areas of activity acting on the basis of Regulations approved by the Association Board;
• establish regional departments, open branches and offices of the Association in Russia and abroad;
• independently decide on the organizational structure of the Association, hire the staff of the Executive Directorate of the Association, decide on forms and amounts of remuneration for work and material stimulation of the staff of the Executive Directorate;
• independently enter into legal relationship with subjects of economic activity;
• form short-term and permanent working groups of specialists, contract individual specialists, including foreign ones;
• advertise its activity, freely and widely disseminate information;
• carry out business and foreign economic activity, found companies and partnerships with rights of a juridical person in pursuing the objectives laid out in the Charter;
• make contracts and other juridical acts with natural and juridical persons both in Russia and abroad;
• acquire to ownership, lease and rent as well as accept as gift in the Russian Federation and abroad all kinds of property and real estate, including objects of intellectual property;
• perform charity activities;
• perform other types of activity stipulated by the current legislation and inconsistent with this Charter.

3.2. The Association bears the following responsibilities:

• comply with the Constitution and enacted legislation of the Russian Federation generally accepted principles and norms of international law concerning its sphere of activity as well as norms spelled out in this Charter and other founding documents of the Association;
• publish an annual report on the use of its property and provide access to it;
• inform the agency, that decide on state registration of the Association, on the annual basis, of continuation of its activities with indicating the actual location of a permanent governing body, its name and data on the Association leaders in the amount necessary for inclusion into the integrated state register of juridical persons;
• on request of the registering agency the decisions of governing bodies and officials of the Association as well as annual and quarterly reports on its activity in the amount necessary for tax reporting;
• permit presence of the registering agency at the events held by the Association;
• provide assistance to the representatives of the registering agency in revision of the Association activity concerning accordance to the goals of the Charter and the legislation of the Russian Federation;
• inform the registering agency on changes of information specified in paragraph 1 of Article 5 of the Federal Law "On state registration of juridical persons", except for information about the obtained licenses, in three days period from the date of such changes;
• bear other responsibilities according to the current legislation.

4.1. The Association membership is open to citizens of the Russian Federation, other countries and individuals without citizenship, older than 18 years, who are scientists, teachers, engineers, and specialists of higher education engineering institutions, scientific and research establishments, scientific production enterprises, technoparks, technopoles and other organizations independent of their affiliation and ownership, who share the goals and objectives of this Charter and wish to contribute to their realization.

4.2. The Association membership is also open to public associations - juridical persons that agree with this Charter and intend to support and develop engineering education in Russia.

4.3. Admission to the Association of a citizen of the Russian Federation is carried out by the Board of the Association regional department at his/her place of permanent or predominant residence in the order prescribed by this Charter based on the personal written application of an entering. The decision of the regional department Board for membership in the Association or to refuse such an admission is subject to approval by the Administrative Board of the Association and shall take effect from the date of this approval.

Entered into force decision of the regional department Board for membership in the Association is the basis for issuance for a citizen of the Russian Federation of the Association membership card of the established pattern.

The Administrative Board of the Association organises production, execution and delivery of membership cards to regional departments that provide their presentation to the citizens of the Russian Federation admitted to the Association.

Admission to the Association of a citizen of the Russian Federation with permanent and predominant residence on the territory of a subject of the Russian Federation which has no regional department of the Association is carried out by the Administrative Board of the Association in the order prescribed by this Charter.

4.4. Public associations - juridical persons are admitted by decision of the Administrative Board by a simple majority of the Administrative Board members in open vote on the basis of the decision of the governing body of this public association supplemented with its registration certificate and the Charter, duly certified. The public associations - members of the Association receive the decision of the Administrative Board on their admission.

4.5. The Association has a honorary membership. Honorary members are elected by nomination of the Administrative Board by 2/3 majority of the listed membership of the Administrative Board in open vote.

4.6. Individuals who made significant contribution to realization of the Association's goals and objectives can be elected as honorary members.

The honorary members of the Association receive a diploma.

4.7. Honorary members of the Association are exempt from membership fees.

Honorary members who are not members of the Administrative Board take part in its work with a right of consultative voice.

4.8. Leaving the Association membership is voluntary on the basis of a written statement submitted to the Administrative Board or regional department board. It does not require a decision of these bodies.

Leaving the Association membership by public associations - juridical persons is voluntary on the basis of the decision of the governing body of this association submitted to the Administrative Board. The decision of the Administrative Board is not required.

4.9. The public associations - juridical persons participate in the work of the Association through their authorized representatives.

4.10. All members of the Association have equal rights and bear equal responsibilities.

4.11. Members of the Association have the following rights:

• to vote for and to be elected to the governing bodies of the Association;
• freely participate in all types of the Association activities and events held by the Association itself or to its benefit;
• submit to the consideration of the Association governing bodies any proposals or questions;
• get from the Association needed consultations, assistance in upgrade of scientific, business and professional qualifications, publish their papers in the editions of the Association;
• obtain full information of the Association activity as well as analytical and other information on problems of engineering education and the journal "Engineering education";
• present papers on forums, conferences, meetings, seminars held by the Association;
• get awards, prizes and other honors of the Association for special contribution to realization of the goals and objectives of the Association;
• address the Association for consultative, methodological, organizational or other assistance;
• freely leave the Association.

4.12. The Association members bear the following responsibilities:

• contribute through their personal, professional and public activity to strengthening the prestige of the Association and high status of its member;
• observe provisions of the Association Charter and decisions of its governing and controlling bodies;
• pay by transfer to the Association's bank account, entrance, membership and special-purpose fees which amount and terms of payment are determined by decision of the Administrative Board;
• contribute to strengthening of the Association and reaching its objectives.

4.13. Breach of the provisions of the Charter, failure to pay the membership fees before December 31 of the current year or unethical behavior may lead to exclusion from the Association membership. The decision is taken by the simple majority of the present members of the Administrative Board or regional department board in open vote. Decision on exclusion of a public association - juridical person, in case of its violation of this Charter, is taken by the simple majority of the present members of the Administrative Board in open vote.

Decision of the exclusion from the Association membership may be appealed to the General Assembly of the Association. Decision of the General Assembly of the Association on this question is final.

5.1. The Association governing bodies are:

• General Assembly of the Association;
• Administrative Board of the Association.

5.2. The highest governing body of the Association is the General Assembly of the Association. It is convened by the decision of the Administrative Board at least once in two years.

Extraordinary General Assembly may be convened if necessary on demand of 1/2 of departments of the Association or by decision of the Administrative Board taken by 2/3 majority of the listed membership of the Administrative Board in open vote.

To hold the General Assembly, the Administrative Board sets up an organizing committee.

5.3. Delegates to the Association General Assembly are elected by simple majority of the members present at Conferences (General meetings) of regional department in open vote.

5.4. The General Assembly is authorized to take decisions when more than half of the elected delegates are present. Rate of representation, date and place, and the agenda of the General Assembly are determined by the Administrative Board and announced to the regional departments not later than two months before the opening of the General Assembly.

The General Assembly decisions are taken by simple majority of voted of the present delegates, the voting procedure is determined by the General Assembly unless otherwise provided in this Charter.

5.5. The General Assembly makes decisions on any questions of the Association's activities.

Within its exclusive competence the following questions lay:

• approval of main directions of the Association activities and the Association's programs;
• approval, making amendments and additions to the Charter of the Association, and consequent state registration of the Charter according to the established order (requires 2/3 votes of the present delegates of the General Assembly);
• election for a four-year term of the members of the Administrative Board and, in case of the violations of the provisions of this Charter, early termination of their powers;
• election for a four-year term of President of the Association and, in case of the violations of the provisions of this Charter, early termination of the powers;
• election for a four-year term of the members of the Auditing Committee and, in case of the violations of the provisions of this Charter, early termination of their powers;
• hearing and approval of reports of the Administrative Board, the Auditing Committee, the Editorial Board of the core journal;
• approval of symbols and attributes of the Association with their subsequent state registration according to the established order;
• determining of work order (time-limit) of the General Assembly;
• decisions on liquidation and reorganization of the Association (requires 2/3 votes of the present delegates of the General Assembly in open vote).

5.6. The Administrative Board elected by the General Assembly for a four-year term carries out management of the Association between General Assemblies. Quantitative and personal composition of the Board is determined by the General Assembly of the Association. The Administrative Board should include the representatives of different regional departments and public associations – members of the Association. 1/3 of the members of the Administrative Board are to be renewed each four years. Under the Administrative Board of the Association the Public Council of representatives of prominent scientists and engineers, public and political figures, famous leaders of industrial enterprises, university rectors, technopark directors, etc. to develop recommendations on strategic issues of the Association activity determined by the Charter.

5.7. The Administrative Board meetings are held at least once a year. The meeting is announced not later than one month in advance.

The meetings are authorized if more than half of the members of the Administrative Board are present including the members of the Administrative Board submitted in advance in writing the decisions on agenda issues.

Decisions are taken in open vote by simple majority of the present members of the Administrative Board including the members of the Administrative Board submitted in advance in writing the decisions on agenda issues.

Other questions of the Administrative Board meeting conduct are determined by the Regulations of the Administrative Board, approved by the Administrative Board.

5.8. The Administrative Board of the Association:

• develops main directions of activity and programs of the Association;
• arranges realization of the General Assembly decisions;
• approves annual theme work plan of the Association;
• withdraw from and co-opts to its membership new members to replace the leaving ones within the general number of the Administrative Board members, subject to consequent approval of the next General Assembly (requires 2/3 of the present members' of the Administrative Board votes);
• arranges study, generalization and dissemination of positive experience in the field of engineering education, elaborates methodological materials;
• hears scientific papers and reports of the Association members on current issues of engineering education and takes the recommendations on the basis of their discussion;
• accepts to and excludes from the membership of the Association;
• takes decisions on amount, terms and order of payment of entrance, membership and special-purpose fees;
• elects honorary members of the Association by 2/3 majority of the listed membership by open or close vote;
• establishes regional departments, opens branches and offices of the Association in Russia and abroad, coordinates their activities;
• elaborates and approves the Regulations of branches and offices of the Association, appoints their heads;
• hears and approves reports of chairmen of regional departments, heads of branches and offices of the Association;
• sets up committees, councils, working groups on areas of the Association activity not constituting juridical persons, hears and approves their annual reports;
• approves Regulations, instructions and other documents determining the Association activity;
• manages international activity of the Association;
• maintains contacts of the Association with national and international scientific, other public associations, elaborates and realizes joint programs and projects;
• decides on participation of the Association in other public associations, including international ones;
• delegates the Association members to international, national and regional congresses, conventions, conferences, symposiums, meetings to discuss current issues of engineering education in Russia;
• exercises the rights and perform the responsibilities of the juridical person on behalf of the Association;
• administers the property and funds of the Association;
• arranges publishing activities of the Association;
• organizes and holds congresses, plenums, symposiums, conferences, seminars, expositions, competitions on the Association statutory issues;
• decides on material incentives of the Association members for significant contribution into realization of goals and objectives of the Association;
• on behalf of the Association awards prizes, awards, scholarships for outstanding achievement in improvement and development of engineering education in Russia;
• introduces nominations to appropriate state authorities on granting the Association members with state prizes, awards, titles in science;
• designs symbols and attributes of the Association;
• prepares and calls General Assemblies;
• approves working plan, annual budget, financial plan, staff list and report of the Executive Directorate;
• decides on establishment of economic partnerships and companies with rights of a juridical person;
• takes measures to develop the material and technical base of the Association;
• approves publishing plans, appoints editors-in-chief and editorial boards of the Association's printing;
• elects Executive Director of the Association for a two-year term by the nomination of President;
• gives specific commissions to the members of the Administrative Board and of the Association, controls their performance;
• reports to the General Assembly on the accomplished work;
• decides on other questions of the Association activities outside the sphere of the exclusive competence of the General Assembly of the Association.

5.9. President of the Association is elected by the General Assembly for a four-year term. President can be elected for another term repeatedly. President is a member of the Administrative Board.

5.10. President of the Association:

• performs general management of the Association activities within the competence;
• presides General Assemblies of the Association;
• directs work of the Administrative Board, chairs its meetings, allocates responsibilities among the Administrative Board members;
• represents without power of attorney the interests of the Association in relations with federal and local authorities, Russian and foreign natural and juridical persons, including international ones;
• makes on behalf of the Association contracts, agreements, conducts negotiations, performs other legal acts, acting in the interest of the Association;
• signs an employment contract with Executive Director of the Association for up to two-year term;
• disposes within the competence of the property and funds of the Association, has the right of first signature of financial document, opens settlement and other accounts of the Association in banks, grant power of attorney;
• presents annual reports to the Administrative Board on the accomplished work;
• performs other functions not within the competence of other bodies of the Association.

5.11. Vice-Presidents of the Association is elected by the Administrative Board from the members of the Administrative Board for a four-year term and can be re-elected repeatedly.

5.12. Vice-President of the Association:

• in the absence of President by his/her order performs the responsibilities of President of the Association;
• represents the Association in relations with federal and local authorities, Russian and foreign natural and juridical persons, including international ones, in accordance with power of attorney given by President;
• fulfills particular missions of the Administrative Board and President of the Association;
• performs other functions not within the competence of other bodies of the Association.

5.13. The Executive Directorate is an executive body of the Association. The Executive Directorate is headed by Executive Director who is elected by the Administrative Board of the Association. Executive Director is a member of the Administrative Board of the Association. To perform his/her duties, Executive Director signs an employment contract with President for up to two year term.

5.14. Executive Director within his/her competence:

• directs the activities of the Association in accordance with the plan approved by the Administrative Board of the Association;
• represents the Association without power of attorney in its relations with federal and local authorities, Russian and foreign natural and juridical persons, including international ones, gives power of attorney;
• opens settlement and other accounts of the Association in banks, dispose of property and funds of the Association with required notification of the Administrative Board at the next meeting of the Administrative Board, has the right of first signature of financial documents;
• is subject to disciplinary, financial or criminal liability under the legislation of the Russian Federation for violation of the conduct of financial and economic activities as well as for non-submission or falsification of financial statements;
• at request of President of the Association enters into contracts on behalf of the Association, conducts negotiations, and perform other relevant in law actions for the benefit of the Association;
• within the limits of annual budget and staff list approved by the Administrative Board of the Association hires and dismisses employees of the Executive Directorate of the Association, approves the salaries, sets the sizes of rewards;
• approves job descriptions and internal rules;
• imposes penalties on employees of the Executive Directorate;
• presents, on behalf of the Association, claims and lawsuits to juridical persons and individuals;
• organizes the execution of decisions of the General Assembly, other governing bodies of the Association;
• reports annually as well as on demand of President or the Administrative Board of the Association to the Administrative Board or the General Assembly of the Association;
• performs other functions not within the competence of other bodies of the Association.

6.1. The Auditing Committee is the controlling body of the Association and is elected by the General Assembly for a four-year term.

6.2. Members of the Administrative Board and staff of the Association cannot be elected to the Auditing Committee.

Members of the Auditing Committee have the right to demand from leaders and members of the Association of all requested documents relating to the statutory, financial and business activities of the Association.

6.3. The Auditing Committee:

• elects Chairperson from its members for a four-year term;
• performs annual audits of business and financial activities of the Association;
• supervises the observance of this Charter and current legislation in the activity of the Association;
• results of the audits are presented by the Auditing Committee one time a year to the Administrative Board to make appropriate decisions on their basis, as well as one time in two years in a form of report for the approval of the General Assembly of the Association.

6.4. Chairperson of the Auditing Committee participates in the meetings of the Administrative Board of the Association with a right of consultative voice.

6.5. By decision of the Administrative Board independent audit organisations can be contracted for auditing financial and business activity of the Association.

7.1. The structure of the Association is composed of its regional departments, branches and foreign offices.

Regional departments, branches and offices may be established in Russia and abroad.

7.2. Regional departments of the Association act according to this Chapter as well as their own chapters, unless they contradict the former.

The regional department may constitute a juridical person from the moment of its state registration in the order established by the law.

The regional department established in the territory of the Russian Federation and acting on the basis of this Chapter, acquires the status of a juridical person in the established order if the Administrative Board notifies the appropriate institute of justice of the respective subject of the Russian Federation.

7.3. The highest governing body of the regional department is the Conference (General meeting of its members) called at least one time a year. Extraordinary Conference of the regional department may be called by decision of the Chairperson of a regional department or demand of at least 1/3 of the department members. The call, place and agenda for the Conference of the regional department are announced not later than one month in advance.

The Conference is authorized when more than half of the department members are present. Decisions are taken by simple majority of the present members of the department. The voting procedure is determined by the Conference.

7.4. The Conference of the Association's regional department decides on any questions relating to the department activities.

Within the exclusive competence of the Conference of the regional department lie:

• defining of the main activities of the department;
• approval of activity programs of the regional department;
• election of Chairperson of the regional department, Vice Chair, Secretary, the Board, the Auditing Committee (Auditor), Treasurer of the department;
• approval of annual report of the department Chairperson;
• decisions on creation, reorganization, liquidation of the department (organization);
• election of delegates to the General Assembly of the Association.

7.5. The Board of the regional department is elected by the Conference of the regional department for the four-year term and is a standing governing body of the department between the Conferences of the department.

The Board of the regional department:

• exercises the rights and acts as a juridical person on behalf of the regional department of the Association;
• organizes execution of the decisions of General Assemblies and the Administrative Board of the Association, as well as Conferences of the regional department;
• prepares and convenes Conferences of the regional department;
• takes measures to develop the material and technical base of the Association;
• reports to the Administrative Board (at least one time a year) and the Conference of the regional department (one time in two years) on the accomplished work;
• decides other questions of the regional department activity not within the competence of other bodies of the Association or the Conference of the regional department.

Meetings of the Board are held when necessary but at least one time in three months and are authoritative if more than half of the Board members are present. Decisions are taken by simple majority of the present members of the Board in open vote.

7.6. Work of the regional department is directed by Chairperson elected by the Conference for a four-year term. Chairperson may be repeatedly re-elected. Chairperson of the regional department annually reports on his/her work and of the department activity to the Conference of the regional department and the Administrative Board of the Association.

Chairman of the regional department without a power of attorney represents the interests of the department of the Association in relations with federal and local authorities, Russian and foreign juridical and natural persons, including international ones, as well as gives powers of attorney on behalf of the regional department in case of its state registration.

7.7. Vice Chairperson of the regional department is elected by the Conference of the department for a four-year term. Vice Chairperson of the regional department acts for Chairperson in the absence of the latter and performs specific assignments of Chairperson of the regional department by his/her attorney.

7.8. The Auditing Committee (Auditor) of the regional department is elected by the Conference of the department for a two-year term and is the controlling body of the department.

The members of the Board of the department and staff of the regional department of the Association cannot be the members of the Auditing committee of the regional department. The said persons may not be Auditor of the regional department as well.

The Auditing Committee (Auditor) performs annual auditing of financial activity of the department and presents the report for approval of the Conference of the department. The financial report approved by the Conference is sent to Chairperson of the Auditing Committee of the Association.

7.9. The Association has the right to establish branches and open offices.

7.10. The branch of the Association is its detached division carrying out all of its functions or part of them, including those of representation.

Branches of the Association act in accordance with the Branches Regulations to be approved by the Academic Board of the Association.

7.11. The Association has Tomsk Branch located at: Tomsk

7.12. The office of the Association is its detached division located outside the seat of the Association that represents and protects the interests of the Association.

7.13. Heads of branches and offices are appointed by the decision of the Administrative Board of the Association and act under power of attorney issued by President of the Association.

7.14. Branches and offices of the Association on the territory of the Russian Federation do not constitute juridical persons and are portioned of the property by the Association. The property of branches and offices is accounted for their separate balances and the balance of the Association.

7.15. Branches and offices act on behalf of the Association. The Association bears all responsibility for activities of its branches and offices.

7.16. The Association has the right to establish centers, commissions, committees, councils and other subdivisions in accordance with the Association activities, acting on the basis of regulations approved by the Administrative Board of the Association.

7.17. The association has the Accreditation Center located in Moscow at the seat of the Association.

7.18. The Association has the Accreditation Board. Chairman of the Accreditation Board and members of the Accreditation Board is approved by the decision of the Administrative Board of the Association.

8.1. Funds and property of the Association are formed from:

• entrance, membership, delegate fees;
• voluntary contributions, grants, donations of juridical and natural persons (including foreign ones);
• takings from events organized by the Association;
• incomes from business and other legal activity of the Association;
• assignments from profit of companionships and companies established by the Association;
• annual contributions of regional departments of the Association in amount determined by the decision of the Administrative Board of the Association;
• proceeds from civil legal transactions;
• revenue from civil legal transactions carried out in accordance with current legislation and this Charter;
• other receipts not prohibited by law.

8.2. The Association in accordance with current legislation may own land, buildings, housing facilities, equipment, inventory, property of educational and cultural purposes, financial assets, stocks and other securities, as well as other movable and immovable property necessary to ensure the activities specified by this present Charter. The Association may also own institutions, publishing houses, media, created and purchased with funds of the Association, in accordance with the objectives stated in the Charter.

8.3. The Association is the owner of its lawful property. No single member of the Association has right of ownership to any share of the Association's property.

8.4. The Association may enter any transactions concerning its property being in its ownership or other proprietary right that do not contradict the legislation of the Russian Federation and this Charter.

8.5. The right of the ownership over property getting by the Association or established and acquired with its own funds, on behalf of the Association is exercised by its permanent governing body - the Administrative Board of the Association.

8.6. Regional departments of the Association functioning on the basis of this Charter, branches and offices of the Association has the right of operative management of the property allocated to them by the owner - the Association.

Regional departments of the Association functioning on the basis of their own charters and constituting juridical persons, as well as public associations - members of the Association, own their lawful property.

8.7. The Association may engage in business activity only as far as this promotes achievement of the goals defined in the Charter for which it was created and appropriates for these goals. Business activity is carried out by the Association in accordance with the Civic Code of the Russian Federation and other laws f the Russian Federation.

8.8. The Association may establish economic partnerships and companies, as well as acquire property intended for business activity.

8.9. Specific types of activity listed by law may be exercised by the Association only on the basis of special permissions (licences).

8.10. The revenues received by the Association in the course of its business activity may not be re-distributed among the members of the Association and should be used only for achievement of the goals defined by the Charter.

The Association may spend its funds for charitable purposes.

8.11. The Association makes up balance, accounts, statistical and other reports in the established manner.

9.1. Making amendments and additions to the Charter of the Association is approved by decision of the General Assembly of the Association taken by 2/3 majority of the present delegates of the General Assembly, with consequent registration in the order established by law.

10.1. Reorganization of the Association (merger, separation, joining, division, transformation) and its liquidation is carried out in the order established by the Civil law.

10.2. Reorganization and liquidation of the Association is realized by decision of the General Assembly if taken by 2/3 majority of the present delegates of the General Assembly.

10.3. The Association may be liquidated by the court decision in case and order established by legislation.

10.4. In case of liquidation of the Association, by approval of the agency that registers public associations, a liquidation commission is appointed. From the moment of the appointment of the liquidation commission, it assumes all powers of administering the Association's affairs.

The liquidation commission publishes announcement in official press of the location of the Association of the impending liquidation of the Association.

In accordance with the established procedure, the liquidation commission evaluates the property of the Association, identifies its debtors and creditors and makes settlements with them, takes measures to pay the debts of the Association to the third parties, draws an interim liquidation and liquidation balance and submits it to approval of the General Assembly of the Association.

10.5. The property and funds remaining from the liquidation of the Association after settlements with creditors, is used for the goals specified by this Charter. Decision on the use of the remaining property is published by the liquidation commission in press.

10.6. The General Assembly decision on liquidation of the Association is sent to the agency that registers public associations to exclude it from the United State Register of Juridical Persons.

10.7. Liquidation of the Association is considered completed, and the Association as ceased its existence upon this entry in the United State Register of Juridical Persons.

10.8. The Association is considered as reorganized from the moment of state registration of the newly established organization.

10.9. The property of the Association after its reorganization is passed into ownership of the newly established juridical persons in the order established by the Civic Code of the Russian Federation.

10.10. The Association provides recording and safety of the documents of the staff, and in case of termination of activity of the Association timely transfers them to storage in the State Archive in the established order.