Article 1 – Purposes of the Association

The aim and purpose of the Association shall be to promote international understanding and exchange among scholars of English at a high academic level. To further this aim the Association shall:

(a) make accessible to all its members, through its website or by other means, information of common interest, in particular information relating to English studies and to the teaching of English in universities;
(b) hold international conferences at regular intervals;
(c) publish volumes of conference papers and other appropriate materials. The official address of the Association is the address of the elected Secretary-General and Treasurer.

Article 2 – Affiliations of the Association

The Association will foster contact at an international level, as appropriate, with other relevant bodies, such as the Fédération Internationale des Langues et Littératures Modernes (FILLM), UNESCO, and the European Society for the Study of English.

Article 3 – Membership

Membership of the Association may be conferred on university professors of English Language and/or Literature and on other scholars of distinction in these and related fields. Admission to membership is determined by the International Committee, on the basis of a simple majority decision.

Article 4 – Subscription

A subscription, the sum from time to time determined, shall become due on 1 January in each year. From 1 January following a member’s retirement, the subscription shall be reduced by half. The funds of the Association shall be devoted to furthering the purposes of the Association.

Article 5 – Committees

Overall responsibility for the activities of the Association shall be held by the International Committee. This Committee (which shall meet at least once every three years) shall consist of:

(a) the President (whose role is defined below) for three years preceding the conference he or she hosts and for a further three years afterwards;
(b) twelve ordinary members;
(c) the Secretary-General and Treasurer.

The International Committee shall elect a chairman from among its members.

The functions of the International Committee are:

(a) to promote and sustain the aims of the Association as defined above;
(b) to secure adequate funding to sustain these aims;
(c) to promote and monitor membership in all parts of the world;
(d) to arrange elections to the Association’s committees as they fall due;
(e) to recommend to each General Meeting venues for future conferences.

The International Committee shall elect from its members an Executive Sub-Committee to be responsible for the conduct of the Association’s activities between conferences. This Sub-Committee shall consist of the Chairman of the International Committee and four other members, together with the Secretary-General and Treasurer. It shall ordinarily meet at least once between conferences.

Article 6 – Elections

Election to the International Committee shall be by postal ballot of all members of the Association. Nominations, in writing, shall require a proposer and a seconder and be accompanied by a statement of no more than 300 words on the qualifications of the candidate.

The International Committee will be responsible for drawing up a list of not more than fifteen names, having regard to

(a) the candidate’s scholarly distinction;
(b) his or her active commitment to IAUPE;
(c) geographical distribution.

The twelve ordinary members of the International Committee shall be elected for a period of six years and shall not be eligible for re-election until a period of three years has elapsed following that term of office. To ensure continuity, no more than half the Committee shall be elected at any one time. Elections will be held every three years, with every member of the Association being entitled to vote for up to six candidates in order of preference. A postal ballot is not however required in the event that the number of valid nominations received does not exceed six.

The Secretary-General and Treasurer shall be elected for six years and shall be eligible for re-election.

Article 7 – Conferences

An International Conference shall be held at regular intervals, normally every third year, as far as possible alternately in an English-speaking and non-English-speaking country.

Admission to any conference shall be open to all members of the Association, subject to the payment of a fee.

The President of the Association shall have power to admit non-members to a conference on payment of a fee or by invitation, provided that accommodation and other circumstances so permit.

Article 8 – President

For the purpose of organizing the conference, the International Committee shall appoint a President from among the members of the Association in the country where the next conference is to be held. The President may appoint his or her own Conference Committee and shall be accountable to the membership of the Association through the International Committee.

Article 9 – Revision of the Constitution

The International Committee shall have power to recommend changing the articles of the Constitution. All such changes shall require the approval of one-third of the members of the Association ascertained by postal ballot.

(revised April 2013)