The tasks and status of TSV are defined by law
The role of the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies is laid down by legislation, as TSV has an exceptionally well-established and publicly significant task in the Finnish research system. Historically, TSV carries out tasks assigned to it by the government that serve the entire national research community and uses public funding to manage them.
Provisions on the activities of the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies are laid down in the Government Proposal regarding the Act on the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies (HE 104/2006), which defines the tasks, status and funding of the Federation. The Act emphasises the role of TSV in promoting cooperation between the Finnish research community and supporting scholarly publishing and the use of research data.
Act on the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies
The rules of association of the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies
The rules of association of the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies define the key principles of its operations. The rules describe, among other things, the tasks, membership, administration, meetings and decision-making of the Federation. The rules of association complement the Act on the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies and guide the activities of the Federation and the cooperation between the member societies. These rules of association were adopted at the Federation meeting on 2 October 2012.
Section 1 Name and domicile
The Federation of Finnish Learned Societies – Tieteellisten seurain valtuuskunta in Finnish and Vetenskapliga samfundens delegation in Swedish – is a cooperative body of scientific societies operating in Finland. In these rules of association, the societies are hereinafter referred to as member societies of the Federation. The Federation is domiciled in Helsinki.
Section 2 Purpose and tasks of the Federation
The Federation is tasked with:
- promoting cooperation and the operating conditions of the member communities of the Federation;
- developing the dissemination and publishing of scientific knowledge and managing the international exchange of scientific literature;
- increasing awareness of research data and its use in society;
- taking care of the use of the funds allocated for its activities, the management and upkeep of the joint meeting and office facilities handed over to scientific societies, and other tasks shared by scientific societies.
Section 3 Election of member societies
The member societies of the Federation are elected at the Federation’s spring meeting on a proposal from the Federation’s Board. To be elected a member society of the Federation, the society concerned must be a registered association or other organisation that has demonstrated that it promotes scientific research and activities.
Membership applications must be submitted in writing before the spring meeting by the time set by the Board.
Section 4 Resignation and dismissal of member societies
Member societies have the right to resign from the Federation by notifying the Board about it in writing or by announcing their resignation at the Federation meeting to be recorded in the minutes.
The Board may dismiss a member society if it has failed to pay its overdue membership fee. Otherwise, the provisions laid down in sections 14 and 15 of the Associations Act (503/1989) shall apply.
Section 5 Membership fee
The criteria and the amount of the annual membership fee to be collected from the member societies shall be decided by the Federation’s autumn meeting.
Section 6 Signing for the Federation
The people entitled to sign for the Federation are the chair or the vice chair of the Board together with the Executive Director or two members appointed from among the Board members for a specific matter together.
Section 7 Financial year and audit of the accounts
The Federation’s financial year is the calendar year.
The financial statement with the necessary documentation and the Board’s annual report must be submitted to the auditors by 15 February at the latest. The auditors must submit a written statement to the Board no later than two weeks before the spring meeting.
Section 8 Board
The Federation’s affairs are managed by a 15-member Board, which is elected at the Federation’s autumn meeting. It is comprised of ten members and their deputies elected by the Federation’s annual meeting and five members appointed by the academies of sciences as their representatives and their deputies, as confirmed by the annual meeting. The Finnish Academy of Science and Letters and the Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters both appoint two representatives and the Finnish Academy of Technology one representative with their deputies.
When electing members of the Board, the aim should be to ensure that different disciplines and societies operating in different parts of the country are as equally represented as possible. A personal deputy shall be elected for each member. Members and their deputies are elected for three calendar years at a time, so that five members and their deputies are in turn to resign each year.
The Federation Board elects a chair and a vice chair from among its members for one year at a time. The Board appoints an Executive Director, who acts as the secretary of the Board and is responsible for presenting matters.
The Board shall convene at the invitation of the chair or, if they are prevented from doing so, the vice chair.
The Board decides on the management of the Federation’s assets and on selling, exchanging and mortgaging them.
The Board has a quorum when the chair or vice chair and at least seven other members are present. Voting shall be decided by a simple majority. In the event of a tie, the chair shall cast the deciding vote, while when voting on persons the decision shall be made by drawing lots.
Section 9 Working committee
To prepare matters, the Board appoints a working committee from among its members. In addition to the chair and vice chair, at least two other Board members are elected to the committee. The working committee may consult experts.
The working committee is chaired by the chair of the Board. The Executive Director of the Federation acts as the secretary.
The Federation's Board may delegate the management and resolution of designated matters to the working committee. The working committee shall inform the Board of its decisions.
Section 10 Meetings of the Federation
The Federation shall hold two ordinary general meetings each year. The spring meeting shall be held by the end of March and the autumn meeting by the end of October.
An extraordinary meeting shall be held when the meeting of the Federation so decides or the Board considers that there is a need for it, or when at least ten member societies of the Federation specifically demand for it from the Board in writing in order to address a specifically announced matter. The meeting shall be held within thirty days after the request for holding it has been submitted to the Board.
At the Federation meeting, each member society shall have one vote. When voting, a person present may exercise the right to vote on behalf of only one member society.
The decision will be the opinion supported by more than half of the votes cast. In the event of a tie, the chair shall cast the deciding vote, while when voting on persons the decision shall be made by drawing lots.
Invitations to the Federation meetings shall be sent by letter or electronically to the member societies at least 14 days before the meeting.
Section 11 Ordinary general meeting
The spring meeting:
- elects a chair and other officers for the meeting;
- adopts the previous year’s annual report and financial statement;
- decides on the discharge of the members of the board from liability;
- decides on the approval and dismissal of member societies;
- discusses the other matters referred to in the invitation to the meeting.
The autumn meeting:
- elects a chair and other officers for the meeting;
- elects the members of the Board to replace those in turn to resign for the new term;
- elects two auditors and their deputies to audit the following calendar year’s finances;
- adopts the action plan for the following year;
- adopts the budget and the membership fee;
- discusses the other matters referred to in the invitation to the meeting.
Section 12 Administration
In addition to what is laid down above, decisions on the administration of the Federation shall be made by the Board of the Federation.
The Board of the Federation approves the way different operating units should be structured to meet the needs of the Federation’s administration, financial management, membership services, publishing and other functions.
The provisions on how the Federation’s administration should be managed and the tasks of different units organised are laid down in the rules of association.
The Federation’s rules of association are prepared by the working committee and adopted by the Board.
Section 13 Executive Director
The Federation shall have an Executive Director who shall lead the Federation’s office.
Section 14 Amendments to the rules of association
A proposal to amend these rules of association shall be adopted at two consecutive Federation meetings, held at least one month apart, after which the proposal shall be brought to the attention of member societies with the invitation to the annual meeting. The latter meeting shall either approve the proposal or reject it as approved at the previous meeting.
Section 15 Entry into force
These rules of association shall enter into force on 1 January 2013. At the same time, the rules adopted by the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies on 20 March 2007 will be repealed.