BAMS
The British Association of
MEXT Scholars
MEXT Scholars
is the organisation of British-based Japanese Government scholarship holders and alumni who attend or have studied at universities in Japan.
Committee
Chair: Michael Cowell
Co-Deputy Chairs: Luke Duggan, Simon Shields
Co-Treasurers: Alex Parsons, Brigid Bernard
Communications Secretary: Vishal Gor
Co-Social Secretaries: Joshua Gallagher, Sebastian Fuller
Website Manager: Lyle De Souza
Chair
In brief, the Chair represents BAMS at meetings/events, takes the leading role in representing the interests of the alumni body and in fostering and further enhancing alumni engagement with other groups as the official Alumni representative.
To
Attend the Koho Renraku Kai meeting to exchange information with Japan-related organisations
Suggest and chair regular meetings; chair the AGM and produce the Agenda + Report for the Alumni
Keep committee together and motivated
Drive the committee/association forward
Maintain/raise profile of BAMS; pursue links to enhance BAMS’ presence
Keep in touch with/abreast of Japan-related organisations in the UK
Look out for and highlight events that the Alumni may enjoy
Suggest and help plan events – pub nights etc
Think of features for the website
Welcome newly returned MEXT Scholars and bid farewell to the departing ones
Normally hold office for up to three years; may be reappointed for a further term of office not exceeding three years
Encourage members to join the committee and provide sufficient introduction to the committee
To provide an introduction to and relevant training for their role to the successive person
Website Manager
To
Improve the BAMS’ website presence
Keep the website updated and use it to enable communication and make announcements to the Alumni (in tandem with the LinkedIn group)
Communicate with the social + communications secretaries regarding events to flag up
To provide an introduction to and relevant training for their role to the successive person
Social Secretary
To
To design/suggest and run events for BAMS in conjunction with the rest of the committee
To further develop the BAMS community
To represent BAMS in the absence of the Chair
To provide an introduction to and relevant training for their role to the successive person
Communications Secretary
To
To communicate with the Alumni through LinkedIn and in connection with the web editor principally and with the rest of the Alumni
To keep Alumni informed of events they may find of interest
To keep Alumni informed of relevant job opportunities
To help maintain the Alumni database
To provide an introduction to and relevant training for their role to the successive person
Treasurer
To
Report on state of BAMS account at AGMs
To look after the BAMS funds and facilitate expenditure where agreed upon
Discuss events/issues with the rest of the committee
To develop income
To provide an introduction to and relevant training for their role to the successive person
Constitution
Constitution of The British Association of MEXT Scholars
Article 1
The name of the association is the British Association of MEXT Scholars ('BAMS').
Article 2
The objects of the Association are as follows:
2.1 MEXT Scholar Support and Social Objectives
To facilitate the maintenance of links among former MEXT Scholarship holders
To assist outbound MEXT Scholars with informal advice and networking opportunities
To meet on a regular basis to exchange information
To establish links with other similar organisations worldwide and
To provide information on an informal basis to interested parties about MEXT Scholarships and opportunities in Japan-related fields.
2.2 Academic and Cultural Objectives
To provide a forum for the exchange of information about Japan and Japanese studies or studies related to Japan, and study in a Japanese university environment
To provide opportunities to share research carried out under the auspices of the MEXT Scholarship and
To provide an information source, as a group of people centred around the United Kingdom with a diverse body of knowledge about Japan, which may be accessed through formal and informal links.
Article 3
The objects of the Association are as follows:
3.1 Database
BAMS will maintain a database of its Members and Associate Members (each as defined below) to be referred to herein as the 'BAMS Database".
3.1.1
The BAMS Database will remain confidential to BAMS Members only. Any information divulged to third parties with the relevant Member's consent may result in disciplinary action.
3.1.2
The BAMS Database may be made available to all BAMS Members and all future BAMS Members.
3.2 Members
Members will be any individuals who have received a Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship. A Member must register his/her name, contact details and details of the period of study as a MEXT Scholar with the Secretary of the Committee on a form which will be prescribed by the Secretary from time to time. Members will be registered on the BAMS Database under the category of "Member".
3.3 Associate Members
Associate Members will be any individual or body corporate who does not qualify as a Member, but who has an interest in Japan and a desire to participate in the activities of BAMS, and will be accepted as Associate Members by a majority vote of the Committee. Associate Members will be registered on the BAMS Database under the category of "Associate Member".
Article 4
4.1 The Executive Committee
The Executive Committee (hereinafter referred to as the "Committee") will be elected from the membership by Members at the Annual General Meeting. The Committee will consist of no fewer than five people and no more than ten people, of whom all are Members. The Committee will consist of a President, a Secretary and a Treasurer (who will be called Officers of the Committee) and at least two others. In addition members of previous Committees of BAMS or Associate Members may be invited to attend meetings in an advisory capacity only. Meetings of the Committee will be conducted with a quorum of three Committee members. In the absence of the President, the Secretary shall preside. In the absence of both the President and the Secretary, the Committee members present may elect one of their number by majority vote to chair the meeting.
The Committee will vote to accept registration of Members, and applications for or motions for inclusion of individuals or bodies corporate as Associate Members. Voting by the Committee will be by majority; where there is a hung vote the chairman of the meeting will have the casting vote. The Committee may vote to remove any Committee Member from the Committee by a two-thirds majority vote. The Committee Member in question will not have a vote under such circumstances. In the event of an Officer of the Committee resigning, a Committee Member will be designated as acting as replacement of the Officer until such time as the Annual General Meeting where a replacement will be formally elected.
An Officer of the Committee may serve as an Officer of the Committee for a term of four years only from the date of appointment. This will not preclude an Officer of the Committee serving as an Advisory Committee Member after a period of four years has elapsed.
From time to time a sub-committee or sub-committees may be appointed by the Committee to review and report on matters of relevance to BAMS.
4.2 General
An Annual General Meeting will be held at an interval of no less than ten months and no more than fifteen months of that held previously. Notice of at least fourteen days (including an Agenda) will be given to all Members and Associate Members. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called at any time by no fewer than ten members of BAMS with at least twenty-one days' notice being given to all Members and Associate Members.
4.3 Voting
Members only will vote to appoint or reappoint Officers of the Committee, and to change the Constitution of the Association at the Annual General Meeting. A quorum of fifteen percent of the total number of Members of BAMS will be required to hold an Annual General Meeting. Voting will be carried out by a show of hands, and a two-thirds majority including postal votes will pass a motion to appoint or reappoint an Officer of the Committee, or to change the Constitution of BAMS.
On other occasions, the Committee can propose a change to the Constitution with full details of such proposal being sent by post to all Members. If no more than twenty objections are received within one calendar month, the proposal will be carried.