联合会章程

Terms of Reference (Draft)

1. Association’s Aims

The aim of the Association is to support Chinese speaking employees working in higher education institutions (HEIs), or research intensive organizations in the United Kingdom. We aim to support members’ professional development in teaching, research, administration, professional services; share timely information across different academic fields among the members and/or between the United Kingdom and any Chinese speaking areas regions and areas; and addressing discrimination against Chinese communities at work.

HECEA is a neutral non-profit community group for Chinese speaking employees in HEIs in the UK. It remains neutral in all politics and religion related matters. It does not involve, contribute to, or promote any activities in this regard either.

2. Interpretation：

In these Articles the following terms shall have the following meanings.

2.1 “Articles” means the HECEA’s articles in this Terms of Reference (ToR) as altered or varied from time to time.
2.2 “Budget” means the budget of the association for each financial year.
2.3 “Writing” means the representation or reproduction of words, symbols or other information in a visible form by any method or combination of methods (including, where relevant, digital methods) and “written” shall be construed accordingly.

3. Powers

In pursuance of the objects set out in Article 1, the Association has the rights to undertake activities as it sees fit HECEA’s objectives in:

(a) promoting research development and collaborations of its members across all disciplines, by establishing a membership base of Chinese speaking academics community, and helping nurture academic ties and cooperation among its members and between the United Kingdom and Chinese speaking regions and areas;
(b) participating in and/or organizing academic conferences, seminars, lectures, workshops and networking/social events for members to promote collaboration, research impact and dissemination;
(c) establishing mentoring schemes to support members’ professional development;
(d) commentating and appraising high-profile academic progress and developments;
(e) sharing information relevant to the development of HECEA members, such as information on PhD admissions, funding calls or job vacancies. Information shared will be free and cannot be resold commercially.
(f) any other activities which are incidental or conducive to the pursuance of the object.

4.The Preparation Committee

The preparation committee consists of eight HECEA member volunteers and an advisory team with six professors and senior colleagues. It will run for a period of 6 months to one year, until the constitution is formally established and the first annual meeting is held later in 2027.

5. The Executive Committee (the “Exec.”)

5.1 The Executive Committee consists of a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, a Treasurer and two member representatives (optional) who are responsible for upholding the values of the HECEA, to facilitate the development of the association, and administer its business. The first Exec. is to be selected by the summer of 2027.
5.2 The election process is: All the Exec. members, eligible HECEA members too, can be nominated by HECEA members or be self-nominated for a role. Once the candidates have been identified, an anonymous ballot will then be held among all members.
The President and Vice-President shall be responsible for the overall strategic direction of the HECEA. They shall be elected by the first-past-the-post vote; The Secretary shall be responsible for the management of general business, fulfilling the set objectives, and the maintenance of an accurate membership list; The Treasurer shall be responsible for the financial business of the HECEA including the annual membership fees, all the transactions and annual financial reports for archives; Two member representatives shall help build up the shared values, and foster productive and friendly relations among members, and between members and the Exec. They shall assist in the association and the delivery of the HECEA agenda.
In the absence of the higher number of votes, a second ballot shall be held between the two candidates with the highest number of votes and the one with the highest number of votes shall be elected to take the role. The elected candidates can serve for a term of one year as the President/Vice President/Secretary/Treasurer. They can also re-appointed, provided that they are willing to take the role. If there is only one candidate nominated for certain role, s/he needs to have over 50% support of all membership.
Anybody in the Exec. shall not serve longer than two successive terms, i.e. two years unless there is a strong wish from at least 60% of all the HECEA members for the 2nd round of reappointment. The two member Representatives may be nominated by the President and or the Vice-President. They can also be selected by members or self-nominated.
5.4 The HECEA may appoint committees for specified purposes from time to time and membership of such committee shall be determined by the HECEA. Recommendations made by such committee shall be referred to ordinary meetings of the HECEA at which time they should be discussed and accepted/rejected.

6. the Advisory Group

The Advisory Group is established to assure equality, transparency and democracy with or beyond the HECEA. It aims to facilitate the management and development of the association and makes sure that different opinions and views of all members can be voiced and reflected in HECEA’s important decision markings. It has the same power, as the Executive Committee, to vote or conduct a dismissal. The existing members of the Preparation Committee could be the new members of the Advisory Group. The President can also exchange any member, and/or dismiss the Preparation Committee to have a new group of volunteers to work as the Advisory Group.
All the major decisions proposed by the Exec. or any HECEA member must receive an over 50% vote support from the Advisory Group. Vice versa.

7. Annual General Meeting
The General Meeting shall be the occasion where the members enforce or exercise the absolute authority. Therefore, if possible, involve all members of the Association. One main objective for the Annual General Meeting is to elect the new Exec. Committee, discuss key research and teaching related themes as well as create opportunities for social networking among the members.
The General Meeting shall be held at least once a year. The Secretary should notify members at least two months before the General Meeting, and provide the meeting agenda.
Each member has one eligible vote for all purpose elections. Members absent can vote online, by emails or posts. Members wishing to stand for election to the Executive Committee must enroll their participation and pass on the application to the Secretary at least one month before the General Meeting.

8. Membership

8.1 All Chinese (Mandarin Chinese, varieties of Chinese, or a Chinese dialect) speaking staff (excluding postgraduate/doctoral students, and/or academic visiting scholars) who are formally enrolled in a UK university, part-time or full-time, at any level of grade on the salary scales are entitled to a full membership of the HECEA. The main employment association of an applicant shall be a higher education institution based in the UK rather than any other sector and/or anywhere else.
Former employees who are no longer employed by any UK based university, college or research intensive organizations will not be eligible for membership unless they have made an outstanding contribution to higher education (For example, this person has worked at a university for more than seven years, or received an honorary award before), or has done significant contribution to the development of the HECEA (For example, the absence of his or her contribution will lead to a scenario which is not in favor of the HECEA). Any exemption must get over 50% support from the Exec.
Any member who decides to withdraw membership of the HECEA could do so at any time but should inform the Exec in writing 14 days before next annual membership fee is deducted. When the employment status of a member changes and the member leaves his or her UK-based affiliation, a notification shall be given to the HECEA.
8.2 Membership applicants may be recommended by any HECEA member; and applicants may also apply directly to the HECEA, too, by filling an online application form. As discussed in Article 8.1, applications from people who are not eligible to apply shall be considered by the Exec and only be approved with an over 50% support from the Exec. If approved, the applicant shall join the membership no later than 30 days within the receipt of the approved nomination.
8.3 The Exec will withdraw membership from anyone who breaches the ToR and/or causes detriment to the association’s reputation. Any rejoin will need a vote from both the Exec. and the Advisory Group with an at least over 60% support.

9. Finance

9.1 The Association’s online webinars or talks are free of charge to all members. Non-members will need to pay for a fee to join, if there is any. Exceptions will only be given by the President, Vice president and/or the Advisory Group.
9.2 The financial affairs of the association should be properly conducted, and appropriate arrangements should be arranged for the approval of the association’s budget and the monitoring of its expenditure by Executive Committee.
9.3 The association is to publish a financial report annually. The report is to be made available to any governing body and to all members to review too.
9.4 The procedure for allocating resources, if there is any, to member groups or activities should be fair and should be set down in writing and be freely accessible to all members.
9.5 The Executive Committee can reimburse any expense claims incurred due to participation in the HECEA activities, such as travel expenses or guest speakers related expenses. All expenditure of the Association shall be approved by the President, and/or the Vice President, and the Treasurer at the same time.
9.6 All the funds generated into the HECEA will be used for the event costs and/or development of the HECEA.

10. Liability of Association

10.1 The activities of the Association are restricted by the law relating to unincorporated association. The HECEA has a responsibility to maintain a safe and positive environment for all members. As a result, the Association does not have any political and religious campaign and/or motivation, and must not seek to advance the interest of any political and/or religious party/agenda. Any form of radicalization and extremism is not allowed at the HECEA.
When there might be a chance that an activity organized by the association will involve politics/religion, an approval must be sought from both the Exec. and the Advisory Group. However, it may seek to influence the opinions and decision makings of the issues associated directly to the HECEA’s own stated interests, provided such activity is within its powers.
10.2 Any commercial organization, group or company hopes to work with or via the HECEA for non-charity, or non-academic purposes, or the outcomes of the cooperation will not benefit the HECEA directly, charges/commissions will be applied subject to the approval of both the Exec. and the Advisory Group. The details will be discussed and approved by the Executive Committee and the Advisory Group in the academic year of 2027 to 2028.

11. Liability of members

11.1 Members shall pay an annual membership fee of five pounds each year. This is subject to 5% increase annually.
11.2 Members shall not be intermediaries and/or profit from the information shared with the Association by other members. Under the circumstance when a member wants to use the association (e.g. the HECEA wechat group, HECEA social media channels), directly or indirectly, as a platform for personal needs, an approval/agreement (of the commissions, for example) must be sought in advance from the Exec. Declarations of no interest of conflicts or declaration of no profit making (unless a commission paid to the HECEA has been agreed) are required. The defined persona needs could be to use the HECEA as a platform
a. For anything the HECEA is not officially and formally involved;
b. for any commercial purpose;
c. for any form of marketing of personally involved events or projects;
d. for the customer/participant/audience recruitment for any event or project not founded by the member’s affiliation or a research funder;
e. for promoting any social media such as third party’s Wechat, Webo, Bilibili, Youtube, Twitter contents which are not associated with the HECEA officially.
11.3 Members should fully respect the privacy of other members and should only freely disseminate or make publicized what others have shared among the HECEA members or what has been agreed to share by the colleague who posts.
To regularly and/or frequently (request to) add multiple (above 3) HECEA members’ WeChat from the HECEA WeChat group route, privately, for personal matters, non-HECEA related business (commercial or non-profitable) are not allowed unless it has been agreed by the Exec. Once found, the membership will be terminated with immediate effect and the member will be moved out from the HECEA WeChat group too. If any individual member has such a demand, he or she shall write to the President or the Vice-President who will then at least let the Exec. and the Advisory Group members be aware of, if possible support, this member’s request. Unless this kind of practice has been clearly justified and proved to be very beneficial to the association’s as well as the personal development of the colleague concerned, it will not be allowed.
11.4 It is members’ freedom to choose any political and/or religious belief. However, any form of politics and religion related activities are not allowed to take place among the HECEA members. Members shall not impose any political and/or religious belief within the HECEA community. Members are liable to report cases which breach item 11.2 to 11.4 in this regard.
11.5 Members shall actively participate in the activities organized by the Association, actively exercise their rights and, where necessary, fulfil their obligations.

12. Ratification of and Amendment to the Constitution

Any HECEA member shall be entitled to propose a motion to change the ToR and shall be required to submit a written request to the Secretary at least fourteen days in advance of the Meeting. The motion shall be published for the consideration of all Members at least ten days before the Meeting.
Any motion to change the Constitution shall only be carried if approved by a two-thirds majority of a The Exec. and the Advisory Group meeting.

13. Complaints and Appeals

13.1 Members shall be permitted to complain to the President, Vice-President and/or the Advisory Group in writing, in cases where members are:
1) Dissatisfied with the governance or operation of the HECEA;
2) Dissatisfied, in any way, in the person’s dealings with the HECEA;
3) Claims to be unfairly disadvantaged by the person’s exercise of the right not to be a Member;
4) Member disagrees with a ruling on the ToR.
13.2 The HECEA will only receive and consider complaints regarding matters of the HECEA as outlined above it will not consider complaints or matters regarding interpersonal matters between HECEA individual members.
13.4 Any complaint shall be dealt with fairly and reasonably and, where a complaint is upheld, the HECEA shall provide an effective solution to resolve any dispute or misunderstanding. However, the Member(s) concerned shall attempt to reach an informal resolution on the matter, which the President may mediate, before a formal complaint can be submitted.