(As amended AND REVISED IN 1996, 1997, 2004, AND 2009)
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PURPOSE

The purpose of the Society is to stimulate improvement in the education of professional educators in all societies of the world.

ARTICLE I NAME

The name of this organization shall be the “International Society for Teacher Education.” (ISfTE)

ARTICLE II POLICY

  • ISfTE is an international society of teacher educators, and associated professional persons, concerned with enhancing the preparation and development of teachers in formal and non-formal settings.
  • ISfTE is committed to the enhancement of the education of teachers within the context of the full educational development of every individual, as a basic human right.
  • ISfTE is an independent organization, free from external, political or economic controls.
  • ISfTE is administered by teacher educators, on behalf of teacher educators for the benefit of teacher educators, their students and the pupils they teach.
  • ISfTE’s acceptance of external sponsorship is only given where the purpose, policy and objectives of the Society are not compromised in any way.

ARTICLE III OBJECTIVES

  • To provide an international forum that leads to improvement and enhancement of the education of teachers through the promotion of discussion, and the exchange of views, about contemporary and future issues in teacher education.
  • To establish an effective international voice for teacher educators and their institutions on matters of policy related to teacher education.
  • To provide an international vehicle for teacher educators and their institutions; to identify and act on issues of importance to teacher educators; and to coalesce support for international policy activity.
  • To promote international interaction and collaboration among teacher educators, their institutions, and other organizations for the purpose of improving the education of teachers.
  • To foster critical analysis and dissemination of ideas from research and innovative practice in teacher education.
  • To promote equity in access and opportunity in teacher education.
  • To foster development of the teacher education profession and promote best practice in all settings.

ARTICLE IV MEMBERSHIP

  • Full Members may be any individual, institution, agency, or organization that subscribes to the purpose and objectives of ISfTE and who are current in their payment of the annual membership fee, have voting rights and receive JISTE, the refereed journal of the society.
  • Associate Members may be any individual, institution, agency, or organization that subscribes to the purpose and objectives of ISfTE and who wishes to be kept informed about ISfTE news, events, activities and opportunities via email and the web site, but do not have voting rights or receive JISTE , the refereed journal of the society.
  • Honorary Members, with non-voting status and no obligation to pay the annual membership fee, may be elected by the membership of ISfTE.

ARTICLE V OFFICERS

The officers of the Society shall be a Secretary-General, Secretary-General Elect (when known), Treasurer and other officers as may be deemed necessary to be appointed in accordance with the Bylaws.

ARTICLE VI EXECUTIVE BOARD

The Executive Board shall be determined in accordance with the requirements set forth in the Bylaws.

ARTICLE VII MEETINGS

  • The Society shall hold a professional annual meeting called the ‘ International Seminar for Teacher Education’.
  • The annual Seminar shall be held in each world area on a regular basis.
  • As a guiding principle there shall be no more than one annual Seminar in a world area during a three-year period.
  • An Annual General Meeting of the membership shall be held during each Seminar to conduct the business of the Society. Business raised and discussed in the meeting will be circulated to the membership. Membership voting on issues arising may be held as deemed necessary by the Executive Board.

ARTICLE VIII RULES OF ORDER

The rules of parliamentary procedure shall govern the deliberations of the Society.

ARTICLE IX NON-PROFIT STATUS

The Society is not organized for profit and no part of its funds shall inure to the benefit of any member or individual.

  • Inurement of Income. No part of the net earnings or other funds of the Society shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its members, Secretary-General or other private persons except that the Society shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered.
  • Political Activities. No substantial part of the activities of the Society shall be the carrying on of propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation and the Society shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements), any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.

ARTICLE X AMENDMENTS

  • Proposed amendments to this constitution shall be submitted in writing to the Executive Board.
  • Proposed amendments shall become part of this constitution when they are approved by a majority of voting members.

THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR TEACHER EDUCATION – Bylaws

1.MEMBERSHIP

1.A. FORMS OF MEMBERSHIP

Regular Membership

Regular Members may be any individual, institution, agency, or organization that subscribes to the purpose and objectives of ISfTE. Full Regular Membership will be for one year upon payment of the Annual Membership Fee due by 1st January.

Associate Members

Associate Members may be any individual, institution, agency, or organization that subscribes to the purpose and objectives of ISfTE and who wishes to be kept informed about ISfTE news, events, activities and opportunities via email and the web site, but do not have voting rights or receive JISfTE, the refereed journal of the society.

Honorary Membership

Honorary Members, with non-voting status and no obligation to pay the annual membership fee, may be elected by a vote of the ISfTE membership. Persons recommended should meet the following criteria:

  • Long and outstanding service to ISfTE, and/or
  • Outstanding service to teacher education.

Members may submit recommendations and supporting documentation for honorary members to the Executive Board who will present a recommendation to the ISfTE membership.

Membership Directory

All individuals attending an Annual Seminar shall be associated with ISfTE by having their names recorded in the ISfTE Directory.

1.B. DUES, FEES AND BUDGETs

Dues and fees for members shall be determined, and an annual budget shall be approved, by a majority vote of the Executive Board, and where it considers necessary, by the full membership.

Dues shall be assessed at three levels based on the average income for each country as reported by the United Nations. Members who are citizens of countries with the lowest average incomes will pay the lowest membership fee. Citizens of countries with the highest average incomes will pay the highest fee. All members, no matter the amount paid in dues, have equal access to privileges of ISfTE membership.

1.C. VOTING RIGHTS OF MEMBERS

Full members will have full voting rights in election of Secretaries General, Members-at-Large of the Executive Board and matters associated with the Constitution.

2. OFFICERS

2.A. OFFICERS

The officers shall be the Secretary-General, the Secretary-General Elect (when known), Treasurer, Editor of JISTE, Assistant to Secretary General (chosen by Secretary General annually), Chair of the LeOra Cordis Trust, Manager of Communications, Editor of the ISfTE Newsletter, and such other officers as may be deemed necessary by the Steering Committee. The Secretary-General shall be elected by preferential polling by the ISfTE membership.

2.B. TERMS OF OFFICE

The individual elected to serve as Secretary-General will be Secretary-General Elect for one year and shall become Secretary-General without further election by the membership. The Secretary-General shall serve for three years and can be re-elected for one further term of three years.

2.B.a. INCAPACITATION OF SECRETARY GENERAL

In the event of an incumbent Secretary General being unable to continue to perform his or her duties (specified in 2.C. Duties below), either temporarily or permanently, these duties will taken up by the Assistant to the Secretary General, as Acting Secretary General until such time as the Secretary General position is restored, either by the return of the existing Secretary General or election of a new Secretary General.

The Treasurer shall be appointed by the Secretary-General and approved by the majority of the Executive Board. The Treasurer shall serve for three years and can be reappointed for a further term.

All terms of office run from the end of the ISfTE annual seminar at which officers are formally appointed.

2.C. DUTIES

The Secretary-General shall:

  • be responsible for the development of ISfTE and its policies;
  • preside at all meetings of the International Society for Teacher Education;
  • convene, conduct and chair face-to-face or electronic meetings of the Executive Board;
  • be a voting member of the Executive Board;
  • have overall responsibility for the membership list, finances, and the records of the Society;
  • advise the Convener(s) in the preparation of the annual Seminar;
  • communicate with the membership and those associated with the Society
  • represent the Society;
  • appoint members to assist him/her to execute the duties of the office of Secretary-General, such appointments to be confirmed by the Steering Committee;

3. Executive Board

3.A. COMPOSITION

  • The Executive Board shall consist of the following ten voting members:
  • Secretary-General (Chair)
  • Secretary-General Elect (if known)
  • Six Members-at-Large (elected by the full membership)
  • Treasurer
  • Editor of the Journal of the International Society for Teacher Education (JISTE)

The Executive Board shall include the following non-voting members:

  • Assistant to the Secretary General (chosen by him or her annually)
  • Chair of the LeOra Cordis Trust
  • Manager of Communications
  • Editor of the ISfTE Newsletter

The Executive Board shall include the following ex-officio non-voting members:

  • Convenors of the previous seminar, the present seminar and next seminar
  • Former Secretaries General

3.B. TERMS OF OFFICE

The terms of office of the Secretary General, Treasurer, and Editor of JISTE will be three years starting at the end of the annual seminar at which they were elected or appointed. They may be re-elected or reappointed for a further term of office.

3.C. POWERS AND DUTIES

The Executive Board shall:

  • assist the Secretary-General in conducting the business of ISfTE at and between Annual General Meetings
  • consider and, where appropriate, approve the appointment of officers nominated by the Secretary-General
  • develop and implement policy
  • meet on the call of the Secretary-General
  • consider projects, policies and seminar sites and make appropriate recommendations to the membership
  • appoint an audit committee of members who will audit all accounts for the year
  • appoint committees and working groups as needed
  • appoint a Nominating and Elections Committee of members whose responsibility is to prepare a slate of candidates for the election of Secretary-General, the Members at Large and other elected positions and to conduct elections.

3.D. MEETINGS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

The Executive Board shall hold one regular meeting each year at the annual seminar and special meetings, face-to-face or electronically, as necessary, convened by the Secretary-General or her/his nominee.

4. ANNUAL SEMINAR

There shall be an Annual Seminar of the Society at a time and place to be determined by the Executive Board in consultation with the membership at a previous annual seminar. Seminar sites shall be determined at least two years in advance taking due regard to the probity and feasibility of the outline proposals submitted.

4.A. THE CONVENER(S)

The convener(s):

  • shall be approved by the Executive Board
  • is (are) responsible for organizing and implementing the annual Seminar and will be advised by the Secretary-General and Executive Board.
  • 4.B. FINANCE AND REIMBURSEMENT POLICY
  • The annual seminar is self-financing.
  • The Secretary-General shall be exempt from paying the registration fee, room, board, and necessary and reasonable travel expenses.
  • The Convener(s) shall be exempt from paying the registration fee, room, and board at the seminar for which he/she is responsible.
  • The Convener(s), no more than two, shall be exempt from paying registration fee, room, and board for the seminar following the seminar for which he/she was responsible and may receive reasonable travel expenses subject to the financial circumstances of individual seminars.
  • A keynote speaker may have his/her registration fee, room, board, and reasonable travel expenses paid for at the seminar he/she speaks by the convener. This is under the condition that the Keynote Speaker will attend the whole Seminar and subject to the financial circumstances of individual seminars. Other arrangements are possible but are to be exceptions.

5. BUSINESS MEETINGS

There shall be a business meeting held in conjunction with the Annual Seminar for consideration of ISfTE business. All members have the right to be present. Issues requiring a membership vote will conductedelectronically. All full members will have the right to vote. Decisions must be made by full member majority vote on:

  • Election of Secretary-General,
  • Election of Members-at-Large to serve on the Executive Board
  • Revision of the Constitution or Bylaws, and dissolution of ISfTE.

All other issues can be resolved by majority vote of members present at the annual business meeting.

By petition of twenty percent (20%) of the membership the Executive Board is required to arrange a discussion and vote of the membership to resolve any issue(s) of concern.

6. FINANCES

6.A. GENERAL FUND

The General Fund of the Society shall consist of the income from the receipt of registration fees from members and any other income, which may accrue to the Society. The fiscal year of ISfTE shall be from January 1 to December 30.

An annual budget should be developed by the Executive Board and presented for members’ approval by the Secretary-General through the Treasurer at the next annual seminar.

The Treasurer shall administer all receipts to and disbursements from the General Fund. All disbursements shall be in accordance with the annual budget except non-budgeted expenditures, which must be approved in advance by the Executive Board.

The Secretary-General through the Treasurer shall report to the membership, at the annual Seminar, and electronically to the full membership, the financial status of the Society including income and disbursements.

6.B. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEE

The Annual Membership Fee shall be determined by the Executive Board with approval of the Membership and shall include payment for the General Fund, subscription to JISTE and contribution to the LeOra Cordis Trust Fund.

ADOPTION OF CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS

Adoption and Effective Date

This Constitution and Bylaws of the International Society for Teacher Education shall become effective upon the affirmative vote of a two-thirds majority of Full Members.

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