1. Objectives

The Federation is established to promote the development of research and education in basic and clinical neuroendocrinology, to disseminate scientific information in this and related fields, to arrange for publication of information aimed at the advance of the field, to facilitate the exchange of ideas among scientists of all nations and to attract young investigators to the field.

For these purposes or either of them, the Federation will

a) Organise every 4 years an International Congress of Neuroendocrinology (ICN) representative of high scientific standard. The Congress will provide a forum for the presentation and discussion of recent research among scientists from all countries,

b) Facilitate the exchange of scientific information between scientists, by sponsoring meetings and discussions in coordination with national neuroendocrine groups and societies,

c) Generally facilitate exchanges between endocrinologists and neuroscientists by participating in meetings and discussions of related societies or organisations, including academic and private foundations,

d) Hold and arrange teaching courses, promote the incorporation of new technology to neuroendocrine research, offer travel grants to encourage participation at meetings and do all else possible to attract and support investigators to the field.

2. Administration and Membership

a) The Federation consists of members of established national neuroendocrine societies (as defined in 2c) and individual members not represented already by any national society. The latter will be considered as part of particular groups representing geographic regions (as defined in 2d). Once recognised, these’regional groups’ will have equivalent representation to that of each of the national societies. Individual scientists belonging either to a national neuroendocrine society or included in a ‘geographic group’ are thus, ipso facto, members of the Federation with equal privileges.

b) National neuroendocrine societies will pay to the Federation an annual fee, fixed by the Council, according to the size of the membership of each of these societies. For ‘geographic groups’, whose members do not belong to a national neuroendocrine society, individual scientists will pay a membership fee, fixed by Council, directly to the Federation. The Federation also includes corporate members representing commercial enterprises who pay an annual fee and honorary members represented by senior neuroendocrinologists, nominated by the Council, who will not pay fees.

c) New admissions of national neuroendocrine societies and ‘regional groups’ to full membership are to be decided by Council provided that the national society and ‘regional group’ making the application has submitted full details and documentation of its activities to the Federation Secretary-General at least 3 months before the Council meeting. New national societies will be encouraged to apply for membership to the Federation. Any such Society must be a legal entity in their respective country, or region.

d) The affairs of the Federation shall be conducted by a Council (see 2e) and the members of the Executive Committee (see 2f), each of whom will have one vote. The Council may empower a member national society to act on its behalf.

e) The Federation Council:

The Council consists of one or more delegates from each national neuroendocrine society and each ‘regional group’ and the Officers. Representatives of each national society and ‘regional group’ will be elected by the members of these societies and groups. National societies will be free to organise these elections. The names of the delegates should be notified to the Federation Secretary at least one month before the next Council meeting. For ‘regional groups’, the Federation will organise the elections, according to domestic rules defined by the Council. Council members will serve for four years, half of them being elected every second year. Council members may be reelected but may serve no more than two terms.

The Council shall meet at least every two years, including at each International Neuroendocrine Congress and at such other times as may be necessary. Council deliberations may take place via electronic communication.

f) The Federation Executive Committee:

i) The Council shall elect a President, Secretary-General, Treasurer, the Chair of Publications Committee and the Chair of the International Neuroendocrine Federation International Congress of Neuroendocrinology Programme Organising Committee (Chair of the INF ICN POC). The Executive Committee comprises the President, Secretary-General and Treasurer. All Chairs of standing and ad hoc committees may be invited to attend Executive Committee meetings if the business is appropriate. These Officers will be ex officio members of the Council, and will be responsible to the Council, and as members of the Executive Committee may be delegated to act on behalf of the Council. The Executive Committee may meet as appropriate, and conduct its business by electronic communication. The President will normally chair meetings of the Council and the Executive Committee. Should any of these Officers be elected from among the members of the Council, any such Officer shall cease to act as a National Society or Regional Group representative, and a replacement shall be elected by the respective Society or Group. Each of these Officers shall serve for a term of 4 years which will begin on the first of January of the year following the last International Neuroendocrine Congress. These Officers will not be eligible for reappointment.

ii) The Council shall elect a Vice-President, Vice-Secretary-General and Vice-Treasurer. These Officers will be ex officio members of the Council, and will be responsible to the Council, and as members of the Executive Committee may be delegated to act on behalf of the respective Officer, and hence on behalf of the Council. Should any of these Vice-Officers be elected from among the members of the Council any such Vice-Officer may continue to act as a National Society or Regional Group representative. Each of these Vice-Officers shall serve for a term of 2 years which will begin on the first of January of the 3 rd year following the last International Congress of Neuroendocrinology. These Vice-Officers will not be eligible for reappointment, but may be candidates in the election of Officers.

g) The Council shall appoint one of the member national neuroendocrine societies or ‘regional groups’ to host and organize the International Congress of Neuroendocrinology. The Host Society shall appoint the Local Organising Committee.

h) Except as otherwise expressly provided by these Statutes, the Council can ask the general membership for a vote on an issue at any time, if this is deemed necessary. Such votes will be requested by written ballot and will be decided by simple majority vote. In case of a tie vote, the vote of the President will carry the decision.

i) All members are free to withdraw from the Federation at a meeting of the Council provided notice of such withdrawal has been communicated to the Secretary at least one month before the next Council meeting.

j) The budget shall be subject to approval of the Council.

3. Committees

a) A Programme Organising Committee that will be responsible for the scientific programme for the International Congress of Neuroendocrinology will be appointed by the Federation Council. It will be composed of a Chair, who is not a member of Council, the Chair of the Local Organising Committee, the Federation President, Federation Secretary-General, and Federation Treasurer, and a broad representation of the various national societies and regional groups.

b) There shall be a Publications Committee composed of the Chair of Publications Committee, two ordinary members elected by Council, and ex officio, with voting rights, the Federation President, Federation Secretary and Federation Treasurer and any Editor-in-Chief of any journal officially endorsed by the Federation.

c) Other committees may be appointed at the discretion of the Council to undertake specific duties.

4. Meetings of the Federation

a) An International Congress of Neuroendocrinology shall be held every 4 years at a place chosen by the Host Society or ‘regional group’ and approved by the Host Society and the Federation Council. Such Meetings shall be open also to non-members.

b) The detailed organisation and arrangements for the Congress shall be at the discretion of the Local Organising Committee in conjunction with the Executive Committee.

c) The financial arrangements of the Congress are the responsibility of the Host Society. Registration fees for those attending may be charged by the Host Society. All members of the Federation shall be charged on the same basis. The Federation will provide a guarantee which shall have to be reimbursed at the end of the meeting in case of a profit.

d) Any individual member of the Federation may, after proper application, be admitted to attend an open meeting of a member national neuroendocrine society or ‘regional group’ other than his/her own, on the same terms as if he/she were a member of that society or group, except as concerns the administrative affairs of that society or group.

5. Central Fund

There shall be a central fund, composed of membership fees, profits arising from Federation international meetings, royalties and other income. Membership fees shall be determined by the Council. The fund shall be applied to further the aims of the Federation.

6. Alterations to the Statutes of the Federation

The statutes of the Federation may be amended at any Council meeting by at least two thirds affirmative majority vote. Proposed changes must be notified in writing to the Federation Secretary at least 6 months before a Council meeting. The Secretary will in turn notify all Council members and members of the Federation of such proposals at least 3 months before the Council meeting.

7. Dissolution of the Federation

The Federation and its statutes may be dissolved at any time at a meeting of the Council at which at least two thirds of the members are present and vote and at which there is at least two thirds affirmative majority vote in favor of dissolution. Prior notification of the proposal for dissolution should be made to the Council at least 6 months beforehand.

Domestic Rules

1. Mechanisms for election of INF Officers

The Officers are elected by the Council (Constitution, Article 2f).
The Secretary shall call for nominations for President, Secretary, Treasurer and Chair of the Congress Programme Organising Committee from the constituencies represented on the Council, through the representatives, 6 months before the election, to be delivered by e-mail to the Secretary 28 days before the announced date of the election (the date of the Council meeting). Each representative may propose, after consultation with and on behalf of his/her constituency, not more than one nominee for each post; the proposer may send (by e-mail) to the Secretary with the nomination a brief (100 words max.) supporting statement for each nominee. The Secretary shall circulate the lists of candidates and the supporting statements to the members of the Council 21 days before the election. In the event that there is more than one candidate for each post, the Secretary shall prepare ballot papers for an election at the meeting of the Council convened during the Congress. Any member of the Council unable to attend the meeting may vote by e-mail, provided the votes are delivered to the Secretary at least 7 days before the Council meeting. The election shall be by secret ballot, with one vote for each post per representative, the outcome decided by simple majority and the results announced during the Council meeting; the Secretary and Treasurer shall count the votes. In the event of a tie, there shall be a re-ballot with the tied candidates as the only candidates; if necessary, this process may be repeated except if the same candidates remain tied for two re-ballots, the President shall exercise a casting vote.

2. Mechanisms for election of the members of the Council.

The Representatives of the constituencies on the Council are elected by their constituencies.

Regional Representatives. a) The regional representatives are elected by ballot of the paid-up INF members in their region, as listed by the INF Secretary and Treasurer. The incumbent regional representatives have a responsibility to arrange an election 3 months before the expiry of their term of office. They should, by e-mail, 1) 6 months before the expiry of their term, announce the election and call for nominations from their constituency (using a standard letter provided by the INF Secretary) to be submitted 28 days before the election; 2) copy the nominations without delay to the INF Secretary; 3) if there is more than one candidate, send within 7 days to each INF member in their region (as defined above) an alphabetical list of the candidates from which each member is invited to vote for one candidate, the votes to be returned by e-mail within a further 21 days; 4) transmit the result of the election, with a record of the numbers of votes cast, to the INF Secretary without delay.

Half of the Regional representatives should retire each 2 years (INF Constitution 2e). There are two alphabetical lists of Regions (List 1: Australasia, China, India sub-continent, Latin America; List 2: Canada; Europe, Korea). The cycle of re-elections began in 2002 with elections from List 2.

Society Representatives. The national or trans-national societies shall appoint their representatives to the INF Council using their own methodology.