Article 1
Under the name of European Association of Astronomy Education (EAAE)
an association is established. It shall be registered with the competent
register of associations and shall have its seat at Garching bei München.
Following its registration its name shall be "European Association
for Astronomy Education (EAAE) e. V.". The duration of the Association
shall be perpetual and shall be governed by German Law.
Article 2
1. The Association is with ref. to section "Tax Concessions" of the taxrate decree, an exclusively non-profit making organisation
2. The Association persuses no economic interest for its own benefit.
3. All resources of the Association may be used exclusively in accordance with the statutes of the association. Members will not receive financial support from the resources of the Association.
4. No person shall receive benefits not directly connected to the aims of the Association or receive unreasonable payment from Association.
Article 3
1. The purpose of the Association is to improve and promote astronomical
education at all levels in all institutions involved in teaching astronomy
in Europe.
2. The aims of the Association are in particular:
a) To promote a greater interest in, and an awareness of, the role of astronomy
education.
b) To increase the effectiveness of European astronomy education at all
levels through research and the exchange of information and experience.
c) To be a responsible body able to provide informed and authoritative
advice on coordinated European astronomy education.
d) To encourage as deemed appropriate by its Members the development of
resources for teaching of astronomy.
3. To acheive these aims the Association shall act in the following ways:
a) Promote cooperation between European educators through provision of
an international network of information, astronomy resources and teaching
materials.
b) Promote the training of teachers in astronomical concepts.
c) Arrange special activities for those studying astronomy.
d) Develop astronomy courses for use by pupils, students and adults in
European education establishments at primary, secondary and tertiary levels.
Article 4
Membership is open to individuals and institutions concerned with or
interested in the teaching of astronomy or in the promotion of astronomy
education at all levels. Membership is bound to the condition of
supportive to the aims and activities of the Association. Support of pseudosciences
(e.g. astrology) is not compatible with Membership in the EAAE. Written application for Membership shall be decided by the Executive Council.
Article 5
Membership of the Association according to article 4 shall be of the
following categories:
a) Ordinary Members shall be individuals or institutions who intend to
participate in, or to contribute to, the activities of the Association.
b) Sponsoring Members shall be institutions or individuals who intend to
promote the aims and activities of the Association by sponsoring means.
c) Individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the aims of the Association may be elected Honorary Members by the General Assembly.
Article 6
Membership terminates
a) on cancellation by Member. Cancellation shall be made in writing to a Member of the Executive Committee.
b) on death.
c) on failure to pay membership fees for two years and following two written
reminders.
d) on expulsion, which can be decided by the Executive Council and confirmed
by the General Assembly after a full report and after the member has been
given the opportunity to fully present the arguments in their favour.
Article 7
Societies with aims closely related to the aims of the EAAE may become
Affiliated Societies upon approval by the General Assembly.
Article 8
The bodies of the Association are
a) the General Assembly.
b) the Executive Council.
c) the National Representatives.
Article 9
1. The General Assembly is the supreme authority of the Association.
Its formal functions are:
- to receive the report of the President about the Association's past activities
- to examine and approve the audited report of the Treasurer
- to approve the actions of the Executive Council
- to approve any budget which is set.
2. The General Assembly has all such powers that have not been conferred
to another body under the present Statutes; e.g. it elects the Executive
Council, and can delegate some of these powers to other bodies of the Association.
3. An Ordinary General Assembly must be summoned every three years by the
Executive Council. An Extraordinary General Assembly may be summoned at
any time, either by the Executive Council or by a written request of one
fifth of Members.
4. The summons or in the last-named case, the written request, must indicate
precisely the agenda of the items that should be discussed and also the
place and time of the meeting. Each General Assembly shall be announced to the members in writing by the Executive Council not later than two months before the event.
5. Each Member may propose items to be discussed and candidates to be elected
by the General Assembly.
6. The General Assembly elects, by simple majority, two auditors who cannot
be Members of the Executive Council. The auditors perform an audit
of the Treasurer's report.
7. The record of the General Assembly shall be signed by the President
and the Secretary. If one of these is not able to sign, a Member of Executive Council may sign for them.
Article 10
The Executive Council is the governing body of the Association. It
consists of
a) President
b) Vice-President
c) Secretary
d) Treasurer
e) Editor
f) four other Members
Article 11
The Executive Council is elected by the General Assembly. It holds office for three years.
Article 12
The executive Council according to paragraph 26 of German Civil Law
consists of the President, the Secretary and of the Treasurer. Each of
them has power alone to represent the Executive Council, to act for and
to sign in the name of the Association. The Association is bound by these
signatures.
Article 13
The Editor shall collect new items and publications that are of interest
to Members and regularly disseminates them.
Article 14
The National Representatives are to facilitate the work of the Association
concerning their respective countries. The National Representatives shall
be bound by the decisions of the Executive Council. The General Assembly
elects, by simple majority, National Representatives according to proposals
of the Members of the corresponding countries. There should be one Representative
for each of these countries.
Article 15
The financial period shall be the calendar year.
Article 16
The Executive Council shall establish a budget for an appropriate period.
Article 17
The Treasurer shall arrange the financial transactions of the Association under the instructions of the Executive Council.
Article 18
1. The fees shall be fixed by the General Assembly.
2. The financial liability shall be limited to the Annual Membership
fee.
Article 19
1. The resources of the Association are
a) dues paid by Members
b) possible gifts, bequests and legacies
c) subsidies or grants which may be awarded to it by public or private
bodies
d) any other resources which may derive from its own activities.
2. In order to fulfil its purpose and to secure its functioning the Association
may at any time constitute or organize separate or independent funds or
bodies and give them an appropriate legal structure.
Article 20
1. Any proposal of amendments of the Statutes shall be sent by the
Executive Council to all Members of the Association at least two months
before the General Assembly which shall decide upon such a proposal.
2. To be approved any amendment of the Statutes shall require the favourable
vote of two-thirds of the Ordinary Members present and voting.
Article 21
1. The winding-up or merger of the Association may be decided only
by an Extraordinary General Assembly, formally summoned for this special
occasion.
2. The decision shall be valid if approved by three-quarters of all Ordinary
Members of the Association present and voting.
Article 22
It is assumed that the Association has abandoned its purposes and aims
if no General Assembly has taken place in the preceeding ten years. In
such case the legal existence of the Association shall end.
Article 23
1. In the event of the Association being wound-up or merged, the remaining
assets after discharge of all depts shall be transferred to a legal entity of a public body or a tax-privilleged body, to be used for the promotion of education in the field of astronomy.
2. In the event of the Association being dissolved automatically, the remaining
assets shall be transferred to ESO.
Article 24
1. If parts of the Statutes are complained by the register court to
be incompatible with registration conditions, the Executive Council, according
to paragraph 26 of German Civil Law (article 12), respectively each of
these persons has power alone to change the Statutes in the necessary way
in order to remove these complaints.
2. If parts of the statutes are complained by the Revenue Office to be
incompatible with the conditions to obtain the status of a non-profit Association,
the Executive Council, according to paragraph 26 of German Civil Law (article
12), respectively each of these persons has power alone to change the Statutes
in the necessary way in order to remove these complaints.
Athens 25th November 1995
Changed:
Düsseldorf 2nd April 1996
Astronomy should contribute towards the consciousness that, in a complex society abounding in science and technology, a scientific education is essential for the choices that every citizen has to make in the democratic life. Students should feel that the Earth is a wonderful place in the Universe, and to be cared for and defended.
The following particular goals are desirable:
(i). Astronomy education should be started as early as possible in the primary school and progress in the following years. Through the media, students are nowadays exposed to a multitude of mainly unstructured impressions from the space sciences and associated areas: the teaching of astronomy in schools will establish the structure and the desirable organisational concepts.
(ii). By the end of compulsory education, students should have been
involved in observation, experimentation and discussion of the following
ideas from astronomy:
a. Our place in the Solar System, progressing to our place in the Universe;
b. The nature of objects we see in our sky, for instance, planets, comets,
stars, galaxies.
c. Examine thinking from the past ages and more recent times to explain
the character, origin and evolution of the Earth, other planets, stars
and the Universe.
(iii). In initial training of teachers and their subsequent in-service training, these ideas (iia - c) should be introduced and reinforced. Recent studies of students' misconceptions and ideas in astronomy provide a useful basis for the further development of teaching methods.
(iv). Since astronomy can provide a unique opportunity for fascinating, whole school activity, support should be provided for optional courses and extra-curricular work in astronomy.
(v). Astronomy teaching can contribute to an understanding of the physical laws which start from the human level and reach the macro-cosmos to give a scientific organised outlook on our world and appreciate the uniqueness of the Earth for the human race. Astronomy locates our niche in space and time. Students should be aware of threats, from light pollution and radio interference, to our ability to observe the night sky.
(vi). Astronomy teaching conveys the fundamentals of the scientific method, including the associated doubt and lack of answers and the interplay between experiment and theory, thereby forcing students to adopt a critical attitude towards the many pseudo-sciences.
(vii). Astronomy knows no national frontiers - the sky is the same above all of Europe - and the teaching of astronomy therefore contributes to international collaboration between students and teachers everywhere.
Last edited Dec 14, 1997