Statutes
The IYPT is a legal organization, established in Mulhouse, France. Thus, its official statutes are in French. Nevertheless, since the official language of the IYPT is English, an authoritative translation to English is provided.
IYPT Statutes (accepted in Singapore, 7/2017)_EN
IYPT Statutes (accepted in Singapore, 7/2017)_FR
International Young Physicists’ Tournament Association IYPT
Statutes
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER I – OFFICIAL DEFINITIONS
- Name
- Type of Organization
- Aim
- Legal Seat
- Language
- Definition of Country
CHAPTER II – ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
- Administrative Bodies
- 7.1. IYPT Member Organization IMO
- 7.2. International Organizing Committee IOC
- 7.2.1. Membership in the IOC
- 7.2.2. Voting in the IOC
- 7.3. Local Organizing Committee LOC Executive Committee
- 7.4. Executive Committee EC
- Finances
- Regulations
CHAPTER III – EXTERNAL RELATIONS
- Definition of Country
CHAPTER IV – DISSOLUTION
- Procedure for dissolution
CHAPTER V – LEGAL CLAUSES
- Liability
- Validity
- Date when taking effect
INTRODUCTION
The International Young Physicists’ Tournament Association is convinced that competitions in physics for students in the upper secondary grades can stimulate both students and physics teachers in their active learning and teaching, encourage them to perform experimental work, train their team-work skills and raise the interest for physics and related disciplines.
For this reason, IYPT has adopted as its aims to
- Organize annually a competition in physics between teams of students,
- Call on interested physicists to list problems for next year’s competition,
- Provide a natural link between schools and physics research institutions.
The International Organizing Committee (IOC) has adopted the following Statutes.
CHAPTER I – OFFICIAL DEFINITIONS
1. Name
“The International Young Physicists’ Tournament Association” (hereafter IYPT), a non-profit association, is hereby established in accordance with Articles 21, and following the local civil code of Alsace/Moselle. The association is registered at the Associations Register at the Tribunal d’Instance in Mulhouse. It is established for an unlimited duration. The fiscal year is from November 01 to October 31.
2. Type of Organization
IYPT is an apolitical worldwide international organization of members, who share the aims of the organization.
3. Aim
IYPT aims to arrange annual physics competitions between teams of secondary school students. In order to achieve this aim, the following measures are to be taken:
- Each year the International Organizing Committee (IOC) assigns the member organization organizing the next year’s competition among those who have offered their services.
- The selected member sets up a Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for assuring the event.
- At its annual meeting the IOC decides about the problems to be used for next year’s event.
- The problems are to be published on the website of IYPT as soon as possible after the meeting of the IOC.
4. Legal Seat
The legal seat of IYPT is established in Mulhouse (68100) France.
5. Language
The official language of IYPT is English.
6. Definition of Country
Within the context of these statutes, a country is any one of the entities which are either members of the United Nations, or have been accepted as such by vote of the IOC. Such decision of IOC cannot be withdrawn.
CHAPTER II – ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
- Administrative Bodies
The IYPT consists of the following units:
- IYPT Member Organizations (IMOs)
- The International Organizing Committee (IOC)
- The Local Organizing Committee (LOC)
- The Executive Committee (EC)
7.1. IYPT Member Organization IMO
An IYPT Member Organization (IMO) is a legal entity which is officially recognized by the IYPT to represent the IYPT – related interests of a country. In particular, IMOs determine the team and the IOC representative for their country at their discretion. For the selection of the team, an IMO sets up an appropriate selection procedure which gives all interested students from the respective country a fair chance to compete for a seat in the country’s team.
An application for IMO status must be made in writing, duly signed by an authorized representative of the organization and handed over to the EC. A person who participated in at least one of 5 most recent IYPTs either as an observer, team member, team leader, or juror must support the application by taking over the position of a team leader of the team selected by the respective IMO. Details of the application process are decided by the EC.
IMOs gain their status by vote of the IOC following a motion by the EC for a time period of up to five years. An IMO loses its recognition after not sending a team to the IYPT in two subsequent years or after handing over a duly signed letter to the EC expressing its wish to no longer be recognized as IMO or if the IOC passes a motion to revoke the recognition.
The IMO’s designated IOC member becomes an IOC member with all associated rights in the IOC as soon as the motion to recognize the corresponding IMO has passed. As soon as the IMO loses its status as an IMO, the corresponding IOC member loses their status as IOC member.
A team representing a given country at the IYPT can be nominated only by a recognized IMO. If there is no IMO recognized for a country, an organization that applied for IMO recognition may nominate a team. If more organizations applied from the same country, the EC decides which of the prospective IMOs is allowed to send a team.
7.2. International Organizing Committee IOC
The IOC is the supreme governing body of IYPT.
It meets at least once per year, namely during the competition. The meetings of the IOC are chaired by the President. If the President is absent, the meeting will be chaired by the Secretary General. If also the Secretary General is absent, the remaining EC members choose the chairperson for the meeting among them.
The IOC decides about the location and about the problems to be used for next year’s tournament.
The IOC decides about changes in the Regulations of IYPT.
The minutes of a meeting of the IOC are submitted for approval in the following meeting of the IOC. They should be published on the IYPT website at least one month before the next meeting.
7.2.1. Membership in the IOC
The IOC consists of one representative from each of the countries having participated in IYPT during that year or the preceding one. Additionally, the members of the Executive Committee are ex officio part of the IOC.
Initially, any representative of a participating country can claim membership in the IOC. Disputes are handled and decided by the rest of the IOC. This membership is granted until December 31, 2014. After this date only delegates nominated by an IMO can represent their country in the IOC.
For countries, for which an IYPT member organization (IMO) exists, the IOC representative is determined by said organization.
A list of current IOC members and their contact details shall be made public on the IYPT website.
7.2.2. Voting in the IOC
Each member representing a country has one vote except for voting on problems, where voting procedures are specified by Rules of Procedure of EC Problem Committee. All decisions are taken by a simple majority of valid votes, except for a modification of the statutes or the regulations which require at least two thirds of the valid votes in favour. A vote is valid if more than a half of IOC who are present and eligible to vote did hand in a valid vote. In case of a draw, the President decides.
7.3. Local Organizing Committee LOC
The LOC decides about the dates of the competition which is held in the months May to July.
It presents a plan for the organization of next year’s event to the IOC at least six months in advance.
It invites teams, team leaders, an International Jury and observers to the competition.
It provides board and lodging as well as travels related to the event (inside the host country) for all participants. The LOC can claim a fee for participation.
7.4. Executive Committee EC
The Executive Committee consists of five members:
- President, represents the Organization in law and public and chairs the meetings of the EC and the IOC
- Secretary General, prepares the agenda and minutes of IOC and EC meetings
- Treasurer, prepares the budget and annual financial statement
- Two further members
All members have a term of four years. They can be re-elected. Terms of office start on November 01, following the election.
Members of the EC can resign from their office. The resignation has to be in writing handed to the EC. In case a position in the EC becomes vacant, a successor has to be elected at the next IOC meeting. The term of office of the successor is limited to the term of the original office-holder.
The Executive Committee prepares the agenda to be brought up at the IOC Meeting. It conducts current work between the Meetings of the IOC, normally by e-mail. The Executive Committee decides about all matters which are not explicitly delegated to other bodies of the IYPT. The EC is, however, bounded by all IOC decisions. All decisions of the Executive Committee are taken by simple majority of valid votes. A vote is valid if more than half of EC members did hand in a valid vote. In case of a draw, the vote of the chairperson of the meeting decides.
Heads of the LOC’s of the current and future years are invited for EC meetings and take part in the e-mail discussions.
8. Finances
The financial resources of IYPT derive from donations, annual contributions of members fixed by the IOC, legacies and earmarked funding. The accounts of IYPT need to be certified by two auditors among the members of the IOC. They are elected by the IOC for a term of four years. The IYPT funds can be managed by an external agency, in collaboration with the Treasurer of IYPT, in accord with a special agreement approved by the IOC.
9. Regulations
Details of the working procedures of the tournament in accord with the Statutes are the subject of the Regulations. Proposals for alterations should be addressed to the President or the Secretary General who submits them to the IOC for approval.
CHAPTER III – EXTERNAL RELATIONS
10. External relations
IYPT establishes and maintains close relations with organizations which pursue aims equivalent to its own. Whenever appropriate, IYPT appoints representatives to meetings or other events organized by these organizations.
CHAPTER IV – DISSOLUTION
11. Procedure for dissolution
The proposal to dissolve needs to be addressed to the President, signed by at least 20% of the members of the IOC. The President will bring this proposal on the agenda for the next official meeting of IOC.
In the case of dissolution, the assets of IYPT devolve to an international organization which has comparative aims. For this purpose, the Executive Committee is invested with all necessary powers.
CHAPTER V – LEGAL CLAUSES
12. Liability
IYPT and its Executive Committee have neither liability nor responsibility for the actions of individual IOC members or IYPT participants. Members of the IYPT have no personal financial obligations to the IYPT. The IYPT is responsible for debts only to the extent of its assets.
13. Validity
If one of the above paragraphs is no longer valid it would not influence the validity of the other paragraphs.
14. Date when taking effect
The current Statutes have been adopted by the IOC in a meeting in Singapore on 13th of July 2017.