STATUTES OF THE NORDIC ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATORS (NUAS)

1. Objective

a. The Nordic Association of University Administrators (NUAS), established in 1975, seeks to strengthen and develop the relationships between Nordic institutions of higher education. NUAS undertakes determined coordination and development efforts in matters of shared Nordic interest to strengthen the competencies of the administrators and spread knowledge of good administrative processes.

b. NUAS, in collaboration with the Association of Nordic University Rectors’ Conferences (NUS), places special emphasis on the Nordic educational community and on the creation of preconditions for joint approaches in international contexts.

c. NUAS’ mission is to help establish a strong operative network within the administration in the higher education sector. NUAS’ activities shall be based on relevant topics and administrative challenges with an aim to facilitate the exchange of experience and learning.

2. Membership

a. Membership can be granted to Nordic universities and university colleges, and is entered into by the administrative head of the institution (the director). Applications for membership are considered by the member institutions from the applicant institution’s country. To qualify for membership, an institution must possess tuition and research competencies at the university level, as well as having research training programmes (i.e., the right to confer doctoral degrees).

b. The director represents the institution at the General Assembly and must appoint a contact person for NUAS. The NUAS contact is responsible for forwarding information from NUAS to the appropriate parties within their member institution.

3. Funding

a. NUAS’ core activities are funded by the member institutions through membership and seminar fees. Financial gain is not the purpose of NUAS’ activities; activities shall be budgeted according to the break-even principle.

b. Finances should be managed in such a way as to accumulate a capital amount which is sufficient to cover one year of operational costs, exclusive of external funding, should the need arise. This equity functions as a reserve for unforeseen expenses and loss of income.

4. Organization and governance

The General Assembly
a. NUAS’ highest decision-making body is the General Assembly, which consists of directors of the member institutions or of representatives appointed by the directors to represent their institution. Each member institution has one vote.

b. The General Assembly convenes every second year. Its period of operation is two calendar years.

c. At the General Assembly, the report of the Board of Directors, the profit and loss accounts, and the balance sheet for the last two-year period shall be submitted for approval.

d. The General Assembly also decides the operating plan and budget for the next two-year period on the basis of proposals from the Board of Directors.

e. The General Assembly determines NUAS’ statutes and amendments to these on the basis of proposals from the Board of Directors.

f. The General Assembly appoints two auditors and one deputy auditor.

The Board of Directors
a. NUAS is headed by a Board of Directors composed of two representatives from each of the Nordic countries except Faroe Islands and Iceland, who have one representative. The directors (or their appointed proxies) of member institutions from each country are responsible for naming the individuals who will represent their country on the Board of Directors. The representative from Greenland has observer status.

b. The members of the Board of Directors are elected for a period of four years. The directors (or their appointed proxies) of member institutions from each country are responsible for ensuring necessary rotation in the Board of Directors.

c. The Board of Directors appoints its chair and vice-chair from within its ranks and decides the location and organization of NUAS’ secretariat for the next two years.

The chair and vice-chair serve a period of two years in their respective roles. At the end of their two-year period, the chair will step down and return to the board as a regular member. The vice-chair will then become the chair for the next two-year period and the entire board will appoint a new vice-chair.

This principle of succession ensures continuity in the board’s work, as well as providing a mechanism for the chair, vice-chair, and secretariat to transfer smoothly through NUAS member institutions on a biennial basis.

d. Within the financial framework laid down by the General Assembly, the Board of Directors decides NUAS’ budget and implements the biennial Operating Plan and Budget as decided by the General Assembly.

e. The Leader Group elects up to four members from within their group to sit on the Board of Directors. These representatives are also elected for a period of four years. However, Board of Directors members elected by the directors (or their appointed proxies) of member institutions from each country shall always form the majority.

f. The goal of the Board of Directors is to arrange directors’ seminars (meetings for all directors of member institutions) to facilitate the exchange of experience and information on current trends in higher education.

g. The Board of Directors is responsible for evaluation of NUAS activities and statutes, and for updating the statutes as the need arises.

The Leaders’ Group
a. The Leaders’ Group of NUAS is composed of all Special Interest Group leaders.

b. Each Special Interest Group appoints a group leader who must be approved by the Board of Directors. Each Special Interest Group shall have a leader.

c. Group leaders are appointed for a period of four years, with an opportunity for a four-year extension.

Special Interest Groups
a. For planning and implementation of activities within NUAS, there are Special Interest Groups for key issues. The NUAS chair shall seek to ensure that, as a rule, Special Interest Groups comprise two representatives from member institutions in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Iceland and one from the The Faroe Islands and Greenland.

b. In consultation with the directors (or their appointed proxies) of member institutions from each country, the NUAS group leaders and the Board of Directors are responsible for ensuring necessary rotation in the Special Interest Groups to achieve diversity of academic competencies as well as regional and gender representation.

c. The Special Interest Groups are responsible to the Board of Directors. The activities of the groups aim to achieve exchange of experience, networking, and further education. In coordination, groups shall arrange at least two multidisciplinary seminars during each period of operation. The groups may arrange specialist seminars.

The General Secretary
a. NUAS is a Nordic collaboration project whose secretariat is located at and managed in accordance with the legal and financial framework of the host institution. The Chairman of the Board and the General Secretary jointly sign documents on behalf of NUAS.

b. The General Secretary implements the Board of Directors’ decisions. 

• Membership applications are sent to the General Secretary. 
• The General Secretary forwards applications to the Board of Directors’ representatives from the applying institution’s country for approval. 
• The application is approved if the applying institution meets membership criteria. 

• Membership status is confirmed with a mail from the NUAS Secretariat.