1.0 Name
The name of this organization is The South-East Asia Public Health Education Institutes Network and is referred to in this Charter as SEAPHEIN.

2.0 Purpose
The following definitions were officially adopted 7 April 2004 by SEAPHEIN members at the international forum in Bangkok, Thailand

     2.1 Vision
To be a collaborative network of Public Health Education Institutes in the SE Asian region for strengthening public health capacity

     2.2 Mission
To collaborate with SE Asian member countries in partnership to improve and sustain the quality and relevance of public health education to address the increasing challenges of health improvement

     2.3 Objectives
SEAPHEIN seeks to share its resources in order to achieve the following eight
objectives:
          2.3.1 To make public health education programs relevant to meet the health challenges of individual countries in the region
          2.3.2 To facilitate the development of health information systems in all countries
          2.3.3 To establish collaborative programs in education and training
          2.3.4 To provide evidence-based and new knowledge through research
          2.3.5 To strengthen the capacity of members through faculty, student and information exchange, learning materials and methods
          2.3.6 To facilitate the implementation of accreditation programs in public health education
          2.3.7 To provide consultation, advocacy and technical advice to improve national public health programs of member countries
          2.3.8 To promote leadership development in public health

2.4 Strategies
The strategies of SEAPHEIN include:
          2.4.1 Develop curriculum and continuing education programs, reorient learning methods and conduct research to refine curriculum
          2.4.2 Create information systems in line with education needs
          2.4.3 Form partnerships and assign focal points among public health institutes, strengthen existing programs including searching and learning materials and establish regional MPH programs
          2.4.4 Maintain an epidemiological database, prioritize and conduct cross-country research and build comprehensive capacity among stakeholders in all stages of research
          2.4.5 Institutionalize programs for capacity building, inventory available resources and learning material resources and identify needs for staff and student exchange
          2.4.6 Develop institutional accreditation mechanisms by establishing a regional accreditation council and devise strengthening strategies
          2.4.7 Organize consultation meetings on priority areas of public health programs and health care
          2.4.8 Promote leadership and management skills at national, state and district levels and generate learning organizations

3.0 Executive Committee The Executive Committee is composed of a President, President-elect, Treasurer, Secretary General and one representative for each country. The term of office shall be two years and is not renewable. President elected should be put in place. The Term of Office shall start and end at the closing of the Annual Meeting.
     3.1 The President is responsible for calling and presiding at SEAPHEIN meetings and workshops, appointing committee members, presenting awards and all other SEAPHEIN duties. Any vacancy of an elected officer shall be filled by President appointment.
     3.2 The Treasurer, working with the Secretary shall collect and administer all SEAPHEIN funds and report on these matters.
     3.3 The Secretary General shall be appointed by the President.
     3.4 The Secretary General shall head the SEAPHEIN Secretariat Office and is responsible for maintaining files, handling correspondence, preparing and circulating official agendas and minutes of the Annual eeting and reports, assisting the Treasurer in preparing the financial report and receiving and processing membership applications. Written notices of the Annual Meeting shall be sent two months prior to the date,specifying the time, place and agenda items to be considered. In addition, the Secretariat Office shall develop strategies for SEAPHEIN funding, fund raising, and organizing activities.
          3.4.1 Secretariat Office
The Office of the Secretariat of the SEAPHEIN Network is currently
located at: Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University
420/1 Rajvithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400
THAILAND
Telephone/Fax: 662 354 822
E-mail seaphein@diamond.mahidol.ac.th

4.0 General Assembly
The General Assembly shall be the primary policy making body of SEAPHEIN and approve the actions of the Executive Committee. Only Full Members may vote, each Full Member having one vote only.

    4.1 The General Assembly shall elect the SEAPHEIN Executive Committee Officers, approve new members, determine membership fees and have the power to amend SEAPHEIN Charter provisions. One uarter of the full membership shall constitute a quorum provided that at least two thirds of the votes cast are in favor in order to pass a resolution. All votes shall be given personally or in the case of Charter mendments, personally or by proxy. Charter amendments must be recommended by the Executive Committee and be approved by at least half of the Full Membership. Voters must be valid, Full Members.

    4.2 The SEAPHEIN General Meeting shall be held at least one in two years as designated by the General Assembly, prior to the end of the preceding General Meeting.

5.0 SEAPHEIN Committees
Standing and ad hoc committees and their Chairs shall be appointed by the President and announced at the General Meeting.

     5.1 Each standing and ad hoc committee shall prepare an annual report for submission to the General Assembly at the General Meeting.
     5.2. Each country should have its own national network of Public Health Education Institutes.


6.0 Membership
SEAPHEIN Membership is open to public health education institutes that subscribe to the SEAPHEIN vision, mission and objectives, have completed membership application procedures and have been duly ominated and approved by the General Assembly. Membership is open to countries outside the WHOSEA Region and is not limited by geographic boundary.

     6.1 Members
          6.1.1 A member institute is represented by its CEO or by a designee of the institute duly appointed by the CEO in writing.
          6.1.2 Only full institutional members of SEAPHEIN shall constitute the SEAPHEIN General Assembly.
          6.1.3 SEAPHEIN and its General Assembly shall facilitate the primary academic functions of its member institutes.

     6.2 Membership Types
There shall be five types of membership: full, associate, personal, honorary and network.
          6.2.1. Full Members are either original charter members or institutions whose application and nomination are unanimously approved by the General Assembly in due process and pay the Full Member nnual Fee.
          6.2.2. Associate Members are academic health institutions or health related organizations, whose missions and objectives are consistent with the SEAPHEIN Mission and Objectives, but does not otherwise qualify for full membership, have the unanimous approval of the General Assembly and pay the Associate Member Annual Fee.
          6.2.3. Individual Members are persons who work in the public health field, sympathetic to the SEAPHEIN Mission and Objectives, approved unanimously by the General Assembly and pay the Personal Member Annual Fee.
          6.2.4. Honorary Members are individuals unanimously approved by the General Assembly who have contributed significant service to SEAPHEIN, wish to maintain their relationship with SEAPHEIN, agree oparticipate in SEAPHEIN activities at no cost to SEAPHEIN and may serve in an elected position with the unanimous approval of the General Assembly. Honorary Members are not required to pay the annual membership fee.
          6.2.5. Network Members are public health networks whose missions and objectives are consistent with the SEAPHEIN Mission and Objectives approved unanimously by the General Assembly and pay the etwork Member Annual Fee.

     6.3. Member Rights Only Full Members are eligible to submit nominations, be voting members of the General Assembly, hold elective office or be appointed to committees unless otherwise determined by the eneral Assembly.
     6.4. Member Applications and Approval Procedures Application for membership shall be submitted to the Secretariat Office at least one month prior to the SEAPHEIN General Meeting and must be sponsored yan existing Full Member. Applications are presented at the SEAPHEIN Executive Committee for approval and ratified by the next General Assembly.
     6.5. Termination of Membership
Members in arrears will be placed on provisional status for one year at which point their membership will lapse. Members on provisional status may not vote or hold elective office, and must pay all arrears owing efore Full Membership status is resumed.
     6.6. Membership fees
Full, Associate, and Individual Members contribute the amount of US $100 annually. The Institution which hosts the secretariat office is exempt from membership fee. Members are expected to ensure that their rganizations have paid their annual fees.