CENTRAL, EAST AND SOUTHEAST EUROPEAN PHD NETWORK


ASSOCIATION IN ECONOMICS AND

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION


CESEENET

Statutes

Article 1: Name and seat
An international nonprofit association has been established called the Central, East and Southeast European PhD Network (CESEENET). The association’s office shall initially be established at the Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana, Kardeljeva ploščad 17, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. It may be transferred to any other place in Slovenia or any other country through a decision by the Steering Committee.

Article 2: Purpose
2.1 The purpose of Central and Southeast European PhD Network is to promote and facilitate cooperation among universities in central and southeast Europe that offer PhDs in economics and business in order to increase the quality of their PhD programs. Participating schools will benefit from network activities while maintaining the integrity of their accredited PhD programs within the network.

2.2 Specifically, CESEENET has the following purposes:
•    Organizing common courses in specific fields of study,
•    Organizing research seminars,
•    Facilitating PhD student exchanges,
•    Strengthening research cooperation,
•    Promoting cooperation on doctoral committees,
•    Establishing a working paper series,
•    Developing a joint academic journal,
•    Organizing a competition for the best paper in the region,
•    Organizing a summer school for PhD students, and
•    Helping participating programs create an environment of excellence with a European perspective, while still pursuing diversity.

2.3 In order to carry out its purpose, the network will be permitted to collect funds, receive donations and sponsorships, organize congresses, symposia, workshops, and conferences, maintain a website, and publish a newsletter and any other documents relating to its purpose. The network may engage in any activity that allows it to carry out its purpose.

Article 3: Membership
3.1 The members are institutional bodies legally constituted under their own national legislation.

3.2 The network is open to membership for institutions from central and southeast European countries that offer PhD programs in economics and business. They must meet the following criteria:
•    The institution should offer a Bologna-type PhD program in economics and/or business, with accreditation in a country of central or southeast Europe.
•    The institution should enroll doctoral students at least once per year;
•    The institution must have academically qualified (AQ) professors to supervise doctoral students.

3.3 Admission rules:
•    An institution may be proposed by an existing member of the executive committee that assures the other members of the Association that the proposed new member meets the requirements for membership, or it can send a letter requesting admission to the CESEENET coordinator.
•    Membership is agreed upon by the Executive and Steering Committees.

3.4 Membership may be terminated
•    By a decision of the member itself, taking effect six months after a withdrawal has been communicated by registered mail or other appropriate means to the Executive Committee, or
•    When the institution’s doctoral program no longer meets the requirements for membership under provision 3.2.

Termination of membership takes effect with the following academic year.

 
Article 4: Steering and Executive Committees
4.1 The network shall be managed by its Steering and Executive Committees

4.2 The Steering Committee consists of deans from participating institutions and meets at least once per year. It makes decisions by a two-thirds majority vote.

4.3 The Steering Committee holds all powers allowing realization of the association’s objectives as proposed by Executive Committee. The following in particular are its concern:
•    Approval of the actions defined in 2.2
•    Modification of the statutes
•    Dissolution of the association

4.4 The Executive Committee consists of one member from each participating institution (the head of the PhD program or Vice-deans for the PhD program). Each member of Executive Committee has a deputy. The Executive Committee meets at least twice per year and makes decisions by a two-thirds majority vote.

4.5 The members of Executive Committee and their deputies are proposed by participating institutions.

4.6 Each institution participating in the network has one vote in the Executive Committee.

4.7. The Executive Committee exercises all powers of management and administration, except those held by the Steering Committee.

4.8. The work of Executive and Steering Committees is coordinated by the CESEENET coordinator, who is appointed by Steering Committee for a period of two years.

4.9 The members of the Executive and Steering Committees are nominated in accordance with the national laws and internal rules and regulation of the participating institutions. All changes regarding representatives shall be communicated to the CESEENET coordinator in written form.

Article 5: Finance
5.1 Members do not pay an annual membership fee.

5.2 For every particular event organized by the network, a separate multilateral agreement on financing (i.e., obligations and financial results) shall be signed.

Article 6: Amendments to the statutes
6.1 Any amendments to these statutes shall be proposed by the Executive Committee to the annual meeting of Steering Committee.

6.2 The Executive Committee must submit any proposals for modification as formulated to the members at least one month before the date the Steering Committee is convened to rule on this modification.

6.3 A proposal or any modifications thereof can only be adopted through a two-thirds vote of the members present or represented.

Article 7: Dissolution
The Steering Committee may decide to dissolve the network in line with the rules established for the modification of the statutes.