MEFOMP Constitution

Statutes of the Middle east Federation of Organization of Medical Physics (MEFOMP)

Introduction:
Reviewed and updated by MEFOMP ExCom on 28 November 2023 and approved by 
MEFOMP Council on 11 December 2023.

This Constitution was originally reviewed and adjusted by most of the MEFOMP Members 
and Executive Officers from AAPM and IOMP. It has then been approved by the majority of
the MEFOMPmembers during the World Congress of Medical Physics and Biomedical 
Engineering (WC2009) that took place in Munich, Germany from 7 to 12 September 2009. 
This constitution was originally adopted with permission from IOMP and AFMOP and
modified according to the needs of the Middle East region.

Section A: Name, Scope and Extent of Activities

Article 1
The regional organization shall bear the name of “Middle East Federation of Organizations of Medical Physics” (MEFOMP), hereafter called “The Federation”.

Article 2
The Federation includes official Medical Physics Societies and Associations in the Middle East region, referred to as “the region” hereafter. The membership adopted shall be those of IOMP members or those intended to be member of the IOMP.

Article 3
The Federation may remain in existence for an unlimited period. The dissolution of the Federation shall be approved only in accordance with the Articles of this Constitution. 


Section B: Aims and Functions.

Article 4
1. The aims and purposes of the Federation are:

• To promote the co-operation and communication between medical physics Organizations in the region.
• To promote medical physics and related activities in the region.
• To promote the advancement of the status and standard of practice of the medical physics profession.
• To Organize and/or sponsor international conferences, regional and other meetings and/or courses.
• To collaborate or affiliate with other scientific organizations worldwide.

2. The federation is a non-profit, non-Governmental organization.


Section C: Membership

Article 5
Membership of the Federation shall consist of:
1. Full Membership (See Article 6).
2. Honorary Membership (See Article 7).
3. Additional categories of membership created according to Article 8 (see Appendix). 

Article 6
1. Medical Physics Organizations in the Middle East region may apply for Membership of the Federation. Only those Organizations which are members of International Organization for Medical Physics or those intended to be member of the IOMP can apply for Membership of the Federation.
2. Medical Physics Organizations will be admitted to Membership of the Federation by the Council, if approved by a majority of the votes of members of the Council.
3. Medical Physics Organizations applying for Membership of the Federation must submit copies of their rules, constitutions or statutes, and a statement giving names and workplaces of officers, the number of members, and the activities of the Organization.
4. Organizations may withdraw from Membership of the Federation by six months notice.
5. Cancellation of Membership of the Federation may be decided by the Council with a majority of two-thirds of the votes of members of the Council present and expressed. Before voting, the Council must have stated the reasons for proposing cancellation in writing and must have invited the Member Organization to present a case opposing such cancellation in writing or orally.
6. Termination of Membership may be imposed by the Council, when a Member Organization has remained more than two years in arrears with its subscription, after two written notifications from the Secretary-General.

Article 7
Individuals who have made a significant special contribution to the advancement of Medical Physics are eligible for admission to the Federation as Honorary Members, subject to the approval of the Council.

Article 8
At its discretion, the Council may create additional categories of membership with associated conditions and may amend or dissolve the membership categories so created. The mechanism by which such membership categories are created will be determined and adopted by the Council. The additional membership categories for the time being in force shall be defined in the Appendix of this constitution. 

Article 9
Members of the Federation are not accountable for its debts or liabilities. The Federation is liable only to the extent of its assets.


Section D: Administration.

Article 10
1. The Council is deemed to be the Constitutional Body of the Federation and directs the activities of the Federation.
2. The Council comprises of the Council Members appointed by each Member Organization and the Officers of the Council.
3. The Officers of the Council are the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary General, the Treasurer and Chairpersons of the Committees.
4. The Executive Officers are the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary General, the Treasurer and the Immediate Past President.
5. The President of the Council can invite individuals, in particular Honorary Members and representatives of co-operating Organizations to attend Council as observers.
6. The Executive Committee comprises of the Executive Officers and Chairpersons of the Committees and is in charge of the day to day running of MEFOMP.

Article 11

• The President of each Member Organization shall act as a Council Member to the MEFOMP Council unless the President of that Member Organization officially appoints another delegate to the MEFOMP Council through a letter to the Secretary General. A Council Member so appointed shall be considered as a duly appointed representative of the Member Organization, until the Member Organization revokes the appointment through a letter to the Secretary-General. 
• Terms of Office:

d. The Treasurer, who shall hold office for one term of three years, shall be eligible for re-election for a maximum of three terms.

• Should the office of President be vacated for any reason, the Vice-President shall become President for the remainder of term of office.
• Should the office of Vice-President be vacated for any reason, the vacated office shall be filled by election.
• Should the office of Secretary-General or Treasurer be vacated for any reason, the President shall, at his/her discretion, either call an election to fill the vacant office or appoint a Council Member to fill the vacant office on an acting basis.
• Member Organization whose delegate is elected as Officer of the Council may appoint a replacement delegate.
• The Council normally meets once per year.
• The President is the legal representative of the Federation and shall summon and chair the meetings of the Council. The Vice-President may act on the President‘s behalf during the latter’s absence.
• The Council shall be summoned in extraordinary session by the President upon the written request of not less than one-fifth of the members or upon the President’s own decision.
• If a delegate is unable to attend a meeting of the Council, the Member Organization may designate an alternate delegate and the Secretary-General must be notified of such designation before the meeting.
• The Secretary-General shall maintain communication with Member Organizations and with appointed Council Members.
• The Executive Officers of the Council shall prepare agendas, papers and budgets for circulation to delegates. Copies shall be sent to Member Organizations two months before the meeting. 

Section E: Council Business.

Article 12
1. The Council has the power to do all of the following: 2. The Council Members including on member of each Member Organization and the Officers of the Council has one vote for electing new officers. Honorary Members have no vote. if the voting results in a tie, in which case the President has a casting vote.
3. A Council can make valid proceedings if a quorum exists. A quorum exists if one third of all possible votes are represented by delegates at Council. If Council cannot make valid proceedings, i.e. there is no quorum in Council, Officers have the option to defer the decision to the next meeting of Council or they can decide to have a postal or e-mail ballot.
4. Issues related to Council business are decided either by agreement in Council, or by a majority vote among Council members present at a valid meeting.
5. The Secretary-General shall call an Extraordinary General Meeting upon the request by 20% of the delegate votes. 
6. Excluding matters relating to the dissolution of the Federation, changes in its Constitution or Membership, the Executive Officers have the power to act where prompt action is deemed necessary in their judgment. This shall include the power to establish ad hoc committees for specified purposes. The Chairpersons of such Committees shall be appointed by the President. Such actions shall be reported by mail or e-mail to Council members and placed on the agenda for formal approval at the next Council meeting.

7. Committees:

1) Nominating Committee:

• The Nominating Committee shall consist of the President, Vice-President, the Immediate Past President, and three Council Members to be elected by the Council. The President shall serve as Chairman of the committee.
• The purpose of the Nominating Committee is not to inhibit the Delegates’ choice of Officers but to ensure that suitable nominations are made by individuals or national bodies that those nominated are willing to stand and, if too many nominations should be made, to act as a preliminary filter. The Committee shall put forward (with the consent of the nominees) not more than four nominations for each of the three offices of Vice-President, Secretary-General, and Treasurer.
• All nominees should be known on the regional level for their distinction in the field and for their ability to serve as Officers for their respective terms of office.
• The Secretary-General should invite individuals and adhering bodies to submit names to the President at least three months prior to the date of the next Council Meeting at which the election will take place. The names and biographical details of selected nominees are to be circulated by the Secretary-General to Delegates at least one month prior to the election.

2) Education and Training Committee (ETC):

• The mission of ETC is to improve medical physics worldwide by disseminating systemized knowledge through education and training of medical physicists especially in developing countries.
• To advance the practice of physics in medicine by fostering the education, training and professional development of medical physicists, and by promoting highest quality medical services for patients worldwide.
• To promote internationally sponsored education and training programs sponsored or endorsed by MEFOMP, IOMP, National Member Organizations and Regional Organizations.
• To identify the need for international education and training activities, prioritizes and assesses the applications, and recommends to the MEFOMP EXCOM the method of support. The ETC can also assist with the organization of the event and suggest suitable changes in the curriculum and faculty of the activity.
• To consider applications from national and regional organizations for sponsoring or endorsing meetings
• To work on evaluation and promotion of medical physics education and training programs and on any alternative mechanisms supporting international cooperation addressing the education/training needs of medical physicists.
• To stimulate the foundation of regional centers for education and training in collaboration with IAEA, WHO and other agencies.
• To compile and update listings of medical physics educational opportunities worldwide for posting on the MEFOMP web page.
• To support and collaborate with the education and training committees of Regional Organizations on matters relating to education and training, including development of training materials and training methodology.
• To be responsible for the accreditation programs

3) professional relation committee

• The mission of the PRC is to promote and support regional and international cooperation on continued improvement in the status of the medical physics profession worldwide.
• To advice on and promote the standards of practice in medical physics and professional conduct.
• To identify the need for regional professional relations and professional standards development through symposia, regional meetings or workshops, and assist with the funding and organization of these ventures
• To assist regional or national medical physics organizations to prepare MEFOMP sponsorship proposals for “professional relations” meetings.
• To consider applications from national and regional organizations for sponsoring or endorsing meetings.
• To manage the MEFOMP travel support program, for delegates from MEFOMP countries to attend international and regional conferences of medical physics.
• To prepare or provide support to develop where appropriate, policy statements, professional recommendations, codes of professional practice, and to establish or help to establish expert groups to address specific national, regional, or worldwide professional issues when needed.  

4) Science Committee (SC)

• The mission of the SC is to improve medical physics by disseminating systematized knowledge derived from observation, study and experimentation.
• To promote research to determine the nature or principles of physics in medicine and put such information in a useful form for all MEFOMP countries.
• To explore frontier areas in physics and biology and their impact on the principles of physics in medicine, emphasizing research within academic physics, in order to promote cooperation in addressing the science needs of medical physics including participation in the scientific programs of national organizations.
• To identify the need for regional scientific symposia, research meetings, regional meetings and/or research workshops and assist with the organization, funding and arrangements of these ventures.
• To consider applications from national and regional organizations for sponsoring or endorsing meetings.
• To work on any and all alternative mechanisms that will promote international cooperation in addressing the science needs of medical physics, including participation in the scientific programs of other organizations.

5) Media committee

• The Media Committee oversees and manages all aspects of media-related activities in support of the mission and objectives of MEFOMP. The committee will work towards enhancing the visibility, reach, and impact of MEFOMP through strategic media planning and execution.
• Develop a comprehensive media strategy aligned with the goals and objectives of MEFOMP.
• Identify key target audiences and tailor media initiatives to effectively reach and engage them.
• Ensure integration of media strategy with overall organizational strategies.
• Foster positive relationships with media outlets, journalists, and influencers.
• Draft and distribute press releases, media advisories, and other communications materials.
• Act as the primary point of contact for media inquiries and coordinate responses.
• Oversee the creation of high-quality and compelling content for various media channels, including press releases, articles, blog posts, and social media posts.
• Ensure consistency in messaging and branding across all media platforms. 
• Develop and execute a social media strategy to enhance MEFOMP’s online presence.
• Monitor social media channels, engage with followers, and respond to comments or inquiries.
• Plan and execute media coverage for events organized by MEFOMP.
• Coordinate with event organizers to ensure media access and coverage opportunities.
• Appoints Media Coordinator serve as the lead coordinator for media-related activities within the committee.

6) Awards & honors committee

• To administer the awards and honors program of the Organization. This includes solicitation of nominees and the ultimate selection of the candidate of choice for each award, and recommendation to the EXCOM for approval.
• For each IOMP or MEFOMP award, the AHC will contact all national member organizations and Regional Chapter to request nominations.
• To be responsible for making appropriate arrangements for presentation of awards.
• To be responsible for making recommendations to the IOMP Council for the establishment of new awards.
• Documentation to be supplied to Council shall include suggestions for the name of the award and guidelines for selection, frequency and the type of award.
• To be responsible for participation on behalf of MEFOMP in the IOMP Awards Committee.

Section F: Financial resources

Article 13
The financial resources of the Federation consist of:
1. Subscriptions paid by Members.
2. Gifts, bequests and legacies.
3. Subsidies and grants.
4. Any other resources or revenues which may result from the Federation’s activities or investments. The investments should be managed and approved by the council and the treasurer.

Article 14
Subscriptions shall be fixed by the Council. Subscriptions for Member Organizations shall normally be directly proportional to the number of their ordinary members. However, Member Organizations that suffer from lack of assets may apply for relief from all or part of the subscription. Honorary Members are not required to pay any subscription.

Article 15
The accounting period shall be the calendar year. The Treasurer shall report annually to Council on financial matters. The membership of Organizations who have not paid the proper dues for two consecutive years can be terminated according to Article 6 section 5. Member Organizations who have not paid their dues for two years or more have no right to vote in Council. Officers, who belong to an Organization which has not paid its subscription for two consecutive years, shall be excluded from office and replaced by Council.

Article 16
In the event of the Federation being dissolved, assets remaining after discharge of all debts shall be transferred to the national medical physics organizations (associations and societies) according to their share . 


Appendix 1: Additional Categories of Membership

This appendix lists additional categories of MEFOMP membership, created under Article 5 section 3 of the constitution. These will be in force with effect from the date approved by the Council. Until such time as the Council agrees a further revision.

Full Member: Individuals with recognized qualifications in medical physics and engaged in the practice, research, or teaching of medical physics.
Associate Member: Individuals who have a strong interest in medical physics but may not meet the qualifications for full membership. Student Member: Individuals enrolled in a recognized educational program in medical physics.
Affiliate Member: Individuals with an interest in the field of medical physics who do not qualify for other membership categories. Corporate Member: Companies or organizations interested in supporting the objectives of MEFOMP


Appendix 2: MEFOMP Sponsorship Packages 

MEFOMP offers four levels of Sponsorship Package for activities and conference organized by MEFOMP:

1. Platinum Sponsors 10,000 USD:
• Prime Priority for location and size of booth in conference exhibition.
• Advertisement of the company in two pages in the Conference Program.
• Company Logo will be placed in pre-conference emails.
• Company logo and a brief description will be included in the Conference website and on-screen during breaks.
• 5 Gala dinner tickets • Company brochure in the bag.

2. Golden Sponsors 6,000 USD:
• Priority for location and size of booth in conference exhibition.
• Advertisement of the company in one page in the conference program.
• Company Logo will be placed in pre-conference emails.
• Company logo and a brief description will be included in the Conference website and on-screen during breaks.
• 3 Gala dinner tickets • Company brochure in the bag.

3. Silver Sponsors 3,000 USD:
• Booth in conference exhibition
• Advertisement of the company in half page in the conference program.
• Advertisement of the company logo in the conference program.
• Medium Company logo will be included in the Conference website.
• 2 Gala dinner tickets • Company Brochures will be placed at the booth.

4. Other types of Participation Sponsoring speakers (ticket + accommodation + honorarium) 


Appendix 3: Awards and Honors

Young Scientist Award MEFOMP

Young Scientist Award is given to recognize significant contributions (publications) and to recognize young scientists working in Medical Physics. The Award will be given annually by MEFOMP.

Outreach and Engagement Award

MEFOMP award for Outreach is given to a medical physicist from the region who can show how their efforts have improved knowledge or increased public understanding of the medical physics profession. The Award will be given annually by MEFOMP.

“Dr Huda Al Naemi” Award

The MEFOMP Award for Best Student Abstract, named in honor of the esteemed cofounder and past president of MEFOMP, Dr. Huda Alnaemi, is a distinguished recognition given to commend and acknowledge the outstanding research achievements of the top performing student in the realm of medical physics. This prestigious award will be presented biennially at the MEFOMP Conference, underscoring the commitment to fostering excellence and innovation in the field.

This page was Last Edited on December 14, 2023