as adopted in the meeting of the Executive Committee of IAHR-APD on November 15, 1990 in Beijing, China; approved by IAHR Council on April 1, 1991. amended by IAHR-APD Executive Committee on December, 2004, Hong Kong

1. Preamble

The present By-Laws of the IAHR Regional Division of Asia and the Pacific, which was founded in 1973 shall govern the conduct of this Division formed under the auspices of the International Association of Hydraulic Engineering and Research. These By-Laws are adopted in accordance with the new IAHR Constitution and By-Laws and replace the By-Laws of the Asian Pacific Regional Division of IAHR adopted in April 1991.

2. Name and address

The name of the Division is the IAHR Asian and Pacific Regional Division, in short IAHR-APD (hereinafter referred to as the Division).

The Secretariat of the Division, which functions as the postal address of the Division, is established under the sponsorship of an educational and/or research institution in the region. The sponsor assumes all financial responsibilities for providing the Secretarial services.

The location of the Secretariat of the Division shall be selected by the Division's executive committee subject to approval of IAHR Council. A proposal expressing the extent of the financial responsibilities and services to be provided by an institution wishing to sponsor the Secretariat must be considered by the executive committee prior to being considered as a new location for the Secretariat.

3. Aim

The objectives of the Division shall be:
a) to promote the science and practice of hydraulics, in its widest interpretation, and its application in all relevant fields in its geographic region;
b) to promote professional competence of individuals in the region engaged in the development and application of the sciences to the hydrosphere;
c) to effectively contribute to the solution of regional problems in the field of hydraulics;
d) to provide a forum of exchange of information among and between researchers and practitioners in the regional community dealing with fluid behaviour;
e) to keep the regional members abreast of their field and alerted to future challenges and opportunities by examining on a continuing basis, the present and likely future directions of the IAHR's areas of endeavour; and
f) to enlarge the IAHR membership in the region.

The Division seeks to accomplish its objectives by
a) strategic and organisational development of the Division's areas of endeavour;
b) organisation and conduct of regional congresses and conferences, subject to formal approval from IAHR Council;
c) publication of monographs, proceedings of congresses, papers in the Journal of Hydraulic Research;
d) contribution to the IAHR Bulletin;
e) organisation and conduct of "continuing education" activities;
f) co-operation and co-ordination with other Divisions and Sections and with organisations outside IAHR;
g) provision of a regional clearing house for information related to all aspects of hydraulics and their practical application;
h) such other activities as may legitimately be adopted for the furtherance of the objectives of the Division; and
i) membership drive activities in co-ordination with the IAHR Secretariat.

4. Membership

4.1 All IAHR members residing in the region are as a matter of course members of the Division and enjoy the facilities created by the Division.

4.2 Engineers and scientists in the region being members of professional unions, societies or associations acknowledged by IAHR Council, and interested in the development of water resources in the region, and not taking up IAHR membership should be urged to collectively organise for associate membership of IAHR.

4.3 IAHR members of outstanding merit to the region may be awarded honorary membership of the Division by the Division executive committee. Not more than two honorary members may be elected at each biennial business meeting of the committee.

5. Financial resources

The financial resources of the Division consist of:
a) registration fees;
b) legacies, donations and grants; and
c) other assets.

6. Executive Committee

6.1 The executive direction of the Division shall reside in an executive committee for the Division. The executive committee shall consist of twelve IAHR members, including a chairman and a vice-chairman. The committee may, if they so desire, co-opt two additional members to the Executive Committee.

Every two years at the IAHR-APD biennial regional congress a new committee shall be elected, so that the term of office of each committee member shall be two years. The entire committee shall retire at the day the newly elected committee enters upon its duties. No member shall serve more than three consecutive terms, except for a committee member appointed Division chairman or vice-chairman after six years on the committee. The Division chairman and vice-chairman shall not serve more than two consecutive terms in that office.

6.2 Members of the committee shall generally be elected on individual merit, but so far as possible a fair representation on the committee from all parts of the region should be maintained. At each election at least three new members shall be appointed who have not served on the retiring committee. Not more than two persons from the same country shall serve on the committee.

6.3 The executive committee shall appoint a chairman and vice-chairman from amongst its members. As a general rule to be nominated as chairman a term of office of vice-chairman shall have been performed The chairman shall participate in the IAHR Council meetings with an advisory function. The nomination of the chairman shall be ratified by IAHR Council. The retiring chairman shall retain his participation in the committee on which he shall serve in an advisory function for one term. The chairman is entitled to appoint a secretary from amongst the members in the region.

6.4 The Division executive committee shall have the following responsibilities:
a) creating and disbanding committees and working groups concerned with the regional activities in all fields within IAHR;
b) co-ordinating the activities within the Division;
c) arranging co-ordination with related activities in other Divisions and with related activities in other associations; and
d) stimulation of nominations for IAHR awards.

6.5 Special responsibilities of the Division chairman in this respect are:
a) stimulating, guiding and counselling committee members;
b) being communication channel between Division and IAHR Council, in co-operation with the co-ordinator for divisions in IAHR Council;
c) member of the Committee on Future Directions and Initiatives, under chairmanship of the co-ordinator for divisions in IAHR Council, which advises IAHR Council on its strategy; and
d) the Division's annual report.

7. Nominations

The appointment of the members of the executive committee is governed by the following procedure:
The retiring executive committee shall propose members for appointment for the next term. Consultation with the IAHR members in the region to obtain suggestions for future committee membership is to be arranged by the retiring committee. The executive committee shall notify the IAHR Secretariat of the election as soon as possible. The Secretariat will approach IAHR Council to seek its ratification.

8. IAHR-APD biennial regional congresses

The Division may organise regional congresses subject to formal approval of IAHR Council and to the following rules:
a) regional congresses shall be self-supporting financially, with fees for members twenty percent less than for non-members;
b) regional congresses shall be scheduled for years in which no IAHR biennial congress is held;
c) the president, a vice-president or the secretary-general of IAHR shall attend the regional congresses whenever feasible; and
d) proceedings of regional congresses shall be made available to the general membership at the lowest possible cost. At least ten copies shall be sent to the IAHR Secretariat free of charge.

9. Conduct of business

The Division executive committee shall hold a business meeting at least every two years during the IAHR-APD biennial regional congress. If possible, the executive meeting shall meet at least once a year. The scheduling and preparation of an agenda shall be the duty of the chairman in consultation with the other executive committee members. The presence of at least fifty percent of the members of the executive committee shall constitute a quorum. Except on matters of by-law revision, all action shall be by majority of vote of the executive committee members present and voting. The executive committee may invite non-members to attend its meeting for particular purposes. The non-members shall not have voting privileges.

In case a quorum is not available, the recommendations of those present shall be circulated to the entire committee membership for approval by mail ballot. All actions determined by mail ballot shall be by majority of vote of the full executive committee membership.

Business between executive committee meetings shall be conducted by mail, initiated by the chairman. Minutes of the executive committee meeting shall be sent to IAHR Council for information.

10. Languages

The official language for the IAHR-APD biennial regional congresses shall be English.

11. Adoption and amendments

These By-Laws amended shall be in effect when approved by IAHR Council.

When revision of these By-Laws is wanted, a proposal for amendment, requiring approval of two-thirds of the members of the executive committee shall be presented to the co-ordinator of the divisions, who will present the proposal to IAHR Council for approval.