EUNIS Board of Directors
Riga June 11th, 2013
12:00 to 17:30
Minutes

 

1. Welcome and registration of participants

Present: Jan Madey (President), Ilkka Siissalo (Vice-President), Hans-Dieter Weckman    (Treasurer), Ramón Grau Sala (Secretary), Mikael Berglund, Pekka Kähkipuro, Michele Mennielli, John Murphy, Lígia Ribeiro, Zigmunds Zitmanis, Jean-François Desnos (Executive Secretary), Yves Epelboin (Past President), Anna Pacholak (President Assistant)
Excused: Gill Ferrell, Arsénio Reis

2. Approval of minutes from the Board meeting in Paris, April 6th 2013, including a point on personal membership

A discussion on personal membership was held. There was considered a special type of personal member (“honorary”) in the future. Currently, in accordance to the statutes, each membership candidature is verified by the Board, playing a role of a “check”. Events fee are specified in the status but a local organizer of an event may decide to offer a larger reduction of the fee. Therefore, there is no need to make any changes in the EUNIS statutes.

3. Key points and issues about the upcoming Congress

Zigmunds Zitmanis debriefed on the upcoming event. There were 260 participants registered, 60 papers accepted (7 rejected) but only 10 for the scientific track were submitted, what possibly should be strengthen in the future congresses.

4. Duties of the Board members during this week (chairs, meetings, introductions, various help)

A new sessions’ chairing schedule was agreed and the Board members accepted to take the sessions with the missing chair, as well as chairing other Congress events such as awards’ ceremony.

5. Strengthening EUNIS network, marketing EUNIS; the role of EUNIS in European activities

Michele Mennielli has presented a draft of the EUNIS marketing plan (within 3 approaching years perspective). The key points are:

  • EUNIS mission and vision – should be clearly set
  • Website – more “marketing” layout needed, as well as the substantial input followed by the frequent updates
  • Newsletter – shall be released on a regular basis, treated as a marketing tool
  • Events – their outcome should be “visible” at the website and convince new participants to take part in further EUNIS activities
  • Social Networks – lack of communication strategy for EUNIS throughout social networks
  • Marketing – current EUNIS marketing is out of date

The discussion on the above points took place. As a result the “marketing group” was created within the Board members (Michelle Mennielli as a leader, support of Gill Ferrell, Pekka Kähkipuro, Zigmunds Zitmanis, Mikael Berglund, Ilkka Siissalo, Ramon Grau Sala, Johan Bergström, Anna Pacholak) to work out the marketing plan more precisely.

Considering the contents of the website an “editorial group” (including the EUNIS members support) would be widely welcomed, which is to be consisted more or less from the marketing group. Mikael Berglund offered to prepare the next issue of the EUNIS Newsletter as well as a help in re-designing of the EUNIS website, if needed, accordingly with the further marketing group and the Board suggestions.

A special attention should be put on a “Publications” section at the website, where, for example, the most interesting papers from EUNIS Congresses and conferences should be linked.

6. Preparation of the GA on 13th

The points for the General Assembly were agreed:

  • new members info, financial reports
  • activities: reports and future events (Task Forces, Rectors’ 2014 Conference, EUNIS 2014)
  • 2013 candidates to the Board presentations and following elections.

7. Next Board meeting, after the GA

It was agreed to have the second Board meeting before the Gala Dinner on 13th June 2013, just for the elections.

8. Any other issue

The next Board meeting will be held in Umeå on 4-5th October 2013.