CONSTITUTION

Constitution & Bylaws

The Constitution of the International Research Council (IRC) serves as the foundational legal and governance framework governing our global organization. Adopted by the General Assembly, this document outlines our mission, institutional structure, membership categories, governance protocols, and financial regulations.

Preamble

We, the members of the international scientific community, represented by national academies, research councils, and scientific unions across the globe, establish the International Research Council. We commit to advancing science as a global public good, fostering interdisciplinary innovation, upholding academic freedom, and driving research that addresses humanity’s most pressing challenges.

Article I: Name, Status & Location

Name: The official name of the organization is the International Research Council (IRC).
Legal Status: The IRC is an independent, non-governmental, non-profit international organization.

Article II: Objectives & Mission

The core objectives of the International Research Council are to:

Drive Global Scientific Strategy: Convene scientific expertise across physical, biological, engineering, medical, social, and business sciences to address global priorities.
Advocate for Science Policy: Inform international decision-making and public policy through rigorous, evidence-based scientific advice.
Protect Scientific Freedom: Defend the free and responsible practice of science, including freedom of movement, association, expression, and equitable access to data.
Bridge Global Capacity Disparities: Support scientific development and research infrastructure in low- and middle-income regions.

Article III: Membership Categories

Membership in the Council is divided into three primary categories:

                            +-------------------------------+
                            |   IRC General Membership      |
                            +---------------+---------------+
                                            |
        +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
        |                                   |                                   |
        v                                   v                                   v
+-----------------------+       +-----------------------+       +-----------------------+
|  Category 1: National |       |  Category 2: International|       | Category 3: Associate &|
|   Member Organizations|       |    Scientific Unions  |       | Institutional Fellows |
+-----------------------+       +-----------------------+       +-----------------------+

Category 1 (National Members): National academies of science, national research funding bodies, or regional scientific councils representing a defined geographical territory.
Category 2 (International Scientific Unions): International disciplinary or multidisciplinary scientific associations focused on specific fields of study.
Category 3 (Associate & Institutional Fellows): Non-voting institutional partners, university consortia, and distinguished global research centers.

Article IV: Governance Framework

The governance of the Council is exercised through the following primary organs:

1. The General Assembly

The supreme legislative body of the IRC, comprising designated delegates from all Category 1 and Category 2 members. The General Assembly meets biennially to:

Elect the President, Officers, and Governing Body members.
Amend the Constitution and Bylaws.
Approve the strategic plan, biennial budget, and financial reports.

2. The Governing Body

The executive authority responsible for overseeing the strategy, management, and ongoing policies of the Council between sessions of the General Assembly.

3. The Secretariat

Headed by the Chief Executive Officer / Secretary-General, responsible for day-to-day administrative operations, financial management, and execution of Assembly resolutions.

Article V: Standing Committees

To carry out specialized duties, the Governing Body maintains four statutory Standing Committees:

Committee Name	Mandate
Committee on Scientific Planning & Strategy	Oversees global scientific initiatives, grant priorities, and research frameworks.
Committee for Freedom & Responsibility in Science	Defends academic rights, ethical conduct, and open science practices globally.
Finance, Audit & Risk Management Committee	Ensures fiscal integrity, audits, risk management, and endowment oversight.
Committee on Global Outreach & Equity	Expands membership inclusivity, regional representation, and capacity building.

Article VI: Financial Governance & Dues

Revenue Sources: The Council is funded by annual member dues, philanthropic endowments, governmental grants, and non-restricted research contributions.
Dues Scale: Member contributions are determined by a tiered assessment scale approved by the General Assembly.
Financial Audits: The accounts of the Council are audited annually by an independent, internationally accredited auditing firm.

Article VII: Amendments & Dissolution

Constitutional Amendments: Proposed amendments require a two-thirds majority vote of the General Assembly present and voting.
Dissolution: The dissolution of the Council requires a three-quarters majority vote of all voting-eligible members in a special session convened solely for that purpose.