BYLAWS OF THE ASIAN FEDERATION OF PLASTIC, RECONSTRUCTIVE AND AESTHETIC SURGERY SOCIETIES (APRAS)

1. Name

The name of the organization shall be the ASIAN FEDERATION OF PLASTIC, RECONSTRUCTIVE AND AESTHETIC SURGERY SOCIETIES (APRAS). APRAS has been organized as a federation of official societies of plastic surgery/surgeons in Asian countries.

2. Purpose

  1. a. The purpose of APRAS is to promote plastic surgery both scientifically and clinically, to educate Asian plastic surgeons and residents, and to encourage collaboration and friendship between official societies in Asian countries.
  2. b. The existence of APRAS is also to collaborate with other regional or continent-based plastic surgery societies or federations in other part of the world.

3. Membership and dues

  1. 1. APRAS member is not a person, but a society of plastic surgeons.
  2. 2. APRAS shall consist of national or regional societies of plastic surgeons in Asia as a member society. A new entry of member needs to be approved by APRAS Council of Delegates (CD).
  3. 3. The amount of annual due is described in Appendix.
Appendix
  1. 3.1 (Founding members) Founding members of APRAS are active members at the time of APRAS foundation; Indonesian Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (InaPRAS), Japan Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (JSPRS), Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (KSPRS), Philippine Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (PAPRAS), Pakistan Association of Plastic Surgeons(PAPS), Singapore Association of Plastic Surgeons (SAPS), Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons of Thailand (ThPRS), and Taiwan Society of Plastic Surgery (TSPS) [Alphabetical order].
  2. 3.2 (Membership types) APRAS shall have active members and non-active members (Collaborative Societies). Active members shall have a designated number of Council Delegates. Non-active members shall not have any Council Delegates. Non-active members may be incorporated in APRAS academic/educational events, may organize APRAS academic/educational events, and may become an observer of CD meetings with no voting rights.
  3. 3.3 (Active and non-active members) Active members of APRAS are 8 founding members; There are no non-active members.
  4. 3.4 (Membership qualification) A new entry of nominee shall be qualified by the CD. Each country may have more than one official society of plastic surgeons. Any official societies of plastic, reconstructive or aesthetic surgery/surgeons in Asian countries may be a nominee of APRAS member.
  5. 3.5 (Annual dues) APRAS charges no annual dues.
  6. 3.6 (Withdrawal of membership) When an APRAS member society decides to withdraw from APRAS, it needs to inform the Council and office in writing at least 3 months in advance.

4. Organization

APRAS shall be governed by the Council of Delegates (CD). The General Assembly will have advisory status.

4.1 Council of Delegates

The CD shall consist of one delegate and two vice-delegates appointed by each active member society. At least one of the 3 delegates from each member society needs to be a board of directors of the member society. Each delegate will serve 2-year tenure. Terms of delegates shall be based on calendar years and shall expire on the 31st of December.

Appendix
  1. 4.1.1 (Appointment of delegates) The three official delegates will be appointed by each member society and identified to APRAS 3 months before the term. Each member society exceptionally may substitute its delegate or vice-delegate before the end of term.
  2. 4.1.2 (Function of CD) The Council shall be responsible for the control of the affairs of the organization. The Council will have the authority to make statements of policy, review management reports; establish committees; review and approve budgets. The Council receives recommendations from delegates, proposals from General Assembly, and votes on them. The Council also approves and decides on the Events of APRAS.
  3. 4.1.3. (Nominee of member) The Council has the power to welcome the nominee of a society given provisional membership, who may attend the meetings of the Council of Delegates as an observer. This nominee may not take part in the discussion, may not vote and must leave the meeting when matters concerning the Federation in question are being discussed.
  4. 4.1.4 (Regular CD meetings) The Council meets at least every 6 months. The moderator of CD meetings may be selected by voting. The Council meeting shall be held in person or virtually. When in person, the hosting society shall cover the cost of organizing CD meeting, hopefully including local accommodation of visited delegates. The hosting society needs to allow any delegates who cannot visit the site to attend the CD meeting virtually. The date and time of a regular CD meeting needs to be noticed to member societies at least 2 months in advance.
  5. 4.1.5 (Extraordinary CD meeting) Any delegate can propose an extraordinary CD meeting. When more than five delegates agree to convene, APRAS office must hold a CD meeting within 4 weeks, where virtual attendance is available.
  6. 4.1.6 (Minutes of CD meetings) Minutes of each CD meeting shall be prepared by APRAS office and circulated to member societies within 4 weeks.

4.2 General Assembly

CD may hold a General Assembly in conjunction with the APRAS Congress/Meetings as deemed necessary. The General Assembly shall consist of all those active members attending from each member society and present at the Congress/Meeting. The General Assembly will receive a report from the CD on the current affairs of APRAS, the finances and the proposals for the next Congress/Meeting. General Assembly can discuss all pertinent matters and make recommendations for approval by the Council of Delegates.

5. Office/Secretary

The Office of APRAS has a Secretary to perform secretarial work of APRAS.

Appendix
  1. 5.1 (Function of Secretary) Secretary has no power on APRAS business, but manages communications and reports at APRAS office.
  2. 5.2 (APRAS Office) JSPRS international office functions as an office of APRAS with its budget.
  3. 5.3 (Other functions of Office) APRAS office shall notice any APRAS events and CD meetings to member societies. APRAS office shall prepare minutes of CD meeting.

6. Subcommittees

CD may appoint such subcommittees as is necessary. The Chairpersons of such a subcommittee should be an active member of a member society and will be chosen by virtue of professional qualifications. The same shall apply when possible to other members of the subcommittees. The composition of subcommittees should be on a regional basis where the subject matter and terms of reference are such that the subcommittees' deliberation would be assisted thereby. The activities of each subcommittee shall be reported in writing to CD every three 3 months.

Appendix
  1. 6.1 (Subcommittee Budget) Budget for each subcommittee shall be covered by a member society of chairperson or APRAS office under supervision of the CD.
  2. 6.2 (APRAS News committee) APRAS News shall be quarterly delivered to each member society, which needs to deliver to its personal members. APRAS News committee shall consist of the delegates and/or members of each member society. Their work shall be to supply news for circulation through the newsletter of APRAS. APRAS office shall prepare a draft of APRAS News under supervision of the News committee. The delegate of each member society must submit an updated information in a designated month of each calendar year.
  3. 6.3 (Educational committee) Educational committee of APRAS shall consist of the delegates and/or members of each member society. Their work shall be to manage educational activities in APRAS including resident education, educational seminars/webinars, and arrangement of visiting professorship and fellowship.
  4. 6.4 (Program committee) Program committee of APRAS shall consist of the delegates and/or members of each member society. Their work shall be to supervise and review scientific programs of APRAS events.
  5. 6.5 (Public relation committee) Public relation committee of APRAS shall consist of the delegates and/or members of each member society. Their work shall be to manage public relations including website and inter-continental activities of APRAS.
  6. 6.6 (Finance committee) Finance committee of APRAS shall consist of the delegates and/or members of each member society. Their work shall be to monitor finance of APRAS.
  7. 6.7 (Audit committee) Audit committee of APRAS shall consist of the non-delegate members of each member society. Their work shall be to monitor activities of CD and APRAS office. Audit members can attend CD meetings without voting rights.
  8. 6.8 (Journal committee) Journal committee of APRAS shall consist of delegates and/or members of each member society. Their work shall be to conduct editorial activities of an official journal of APRAS.

7. Finances

  1. a. APRAS shall maintain a bank account. Funds in the account shall be utilized only for budgeted and duly authorized expenses of APRAS.
  2. b. APRAS shall try ethical effort to build and keep its strong finance that may come from income from its activities, endorsement, sponsors, donation, and so on.
Appendix
  1. 7.1 (Account management) APRAS bank account shall be managed by APRAS office.
  2. 7.2 (Account report and monitoring) APRAS bank account balance shall be reported to the CD every 6 months with its hard copy.

8. APRAS Events= Congress/Meeting/Session/Seminar

The APRAS Congress shall be an independent academic/educational event. The APRAS Meeting/Sessions shall be an academic/educational event held in conjunction with other events such as an annual conference of member societies. The APRAS Seminars shall be an educational event with no free paper sessions. The Congress and Meetings must have free paper sessions. Application of any events needs to be submitted in writing to CD for its approval.

Appendix
  1. 8.1 (Authorization) Congress and its program need to be approved by CD by 12 and 3 months before the event, respectively. Each event other than Congress and its program need to be approved by CD by 3 months and 1 month before the event, respectively.
  2. 8.2 (Congress) Congress needs to have a program in English of more than 2 full days with more than 2 rooms/channels. The host society before announcing the Congress, shall submit a general plan draft of the Congress, which needs to be approved by the CD. This plan shall allocate time for the meetings of the CD and the General Assembly. The scientific program is prepared by APRAS in collaboration with the host society and the final program needs to be approved by CD. The host society invites the members of all APRAS member societies to participate in the Congress, and shall, at least 6 months in advance send preliminary information on the planned Congress to each individual member society.
  3. 8.3 (Meeting) Meeting needs to have a program in English of more than 1 full day with more than 1 rooms/channels.
  4. 8.4 (Session) Session needs to have a program in English of more than 3 hours with more than 1 rooms/channels.
  5. 8.5 (Seminar) Seminar needs to have a program in English of more than 1 full day with more than 1 rooms/channels.
  6. 8.6 (Finances of events) By nature, each Event belongs to the APRAS and is delegated to a host society. The organization and the costs/surplus of each Event rest entirely with the host society. The host society needs to cover the cost of local accommodation of invited faculties.
  7. 8.7 (Report of events) The host society of an event must prepare a detailed report including its finances and the number of attendants, and send to APRAS office and the Council within 3 months after the event.

Cf. (Table of events)

Duration Room number Free papers Combination of other events
Congress 2 days or more 2 or more Yes No
Meeting 1 full day or more 1 or more Yes Yes (Combined)
Session 3 hours or more 1 or more Either Yes (Combined)
Seminar 1 full day or more 1 or more No Either

9. Subspecialty Chapters

A subspecialty Chapter may be formed by the CD at the request of a member society or a delegate if CD is of the opinion that this would benefit APRAS.

10. Vote

Voting in the Council is generally by simple majority. For the transaction of business in the Council, a minimal quorum of half delegates is necessary. A postal or electronic vote will be admissible to be ratified by the Council.

11. Rules and Amendment

Any change to the Bylaws requires two-thirds vote of the Council of Delegates at which a quorum is present. Any other changes such as to the Appendix and decisions require more than a half vote of the Council. The rules contained in “Sturgis Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure” shall govern APRAS in all cases in which they are not inconsistent with the present Statutes.

12. Official language

The official language of any communications and events is English. The essays may however be given in any language provided that simultaneous translation into English is available.

13. Official Journal

APRAS shall have its official scientific journal.

14. Official website

APRAS shall have its official website.

Appendix
  1. 14.1 (URL) APRAS website URL is https://www.apras-asia.org
  2. 14.2 (Management) APRAS website shall be managed by APRAS office under supervision by the CD and public relation committee.
  3. 14.3 (Finance) The cost for launching and maintenance of APRAS website shall be covered by JSPRS.
  4. 14.4 (Functions) The APRAS website publicly announces the purpose, structure, members, academic/educational events, and other official activities of APRAS.
  5. 14.5 (Advertisement) The APRAS website may have a commercial banner or information, which needs to be approved by the CD.

15. Dissolution and Liquidation

A decision to dissolve or liquidate APRAS shall require a resolution by the Council of Delegates. Any assets remaining after the payment of all obligations incurred by APRAS shall inure to member societies.

The 1st version, prepared on November 07, 2022