Skip to content

Statutes of SPIEM

Table of contents

Statutes of SPIEM – Portuguese Society of Research in Mathematics Education

Chapter I – Name, nature, aims and headquarters

Article 1

SPIEM – Sociedade Portuguesa de Investigação em Educação Matemática (Portuguese Society of Research in Mathematics Education) is a non-profit Association of undetermined duration, which is governed by the present statutes and other applicable legislation.

Article 2

SPIEM’s purposes are:

1. To promote the development of research in mathematics education at all levels;

2. To stimulate the exchange of ideas and experiences between people who are interested in research in Mathematics Education;

3. To support and promote relevant activities in SPIEM’s field of intervention;

4. To contribute to Educational and Scientific Policies regarding Mathematics Education;

5. To cooperate with other national and international organizations whose objectives are related with SPIEM’s.

Article 3

SPIEM has its headquarters at the Institute of Education of the University of Lisbon.

Chapter II – Members

Article 4

Any natural or legal person, regardless of nationality, whose activity falls within the association’s aims, can be a member of this association.

Article 5

Candidates for ordinary, student and institutional membership shall be admitted by the Board of Directors, by means of a proposal submitted and signed by a member in good standing.

Article 6

Admission as a member involves full adherence to SPIEM’s statutes, its internal regulations and the deliberations of its statutory bodies.

Article 7

Membership ceases:

1. At the will of the member, once communicated in writing to the Board;

2. By resolution of the Board of Directors, on the grounds of:

2.1. breach of the statutes or unjustified non-compliance with deliberations legally taken by SPIEM’s bodies;

2.2. non-payment of dues for more than two years, regardless of whether these are consecutive;

2.3. Conduct that contributes to the discredit, discredit or prejudice of SPIEM.

Article 8

Members’ rights are

1. Participate in all the activities and enjoy the benefits provided by the associative practice;

2. Participate and vote in the General Assembly meetings;

3. To elect and be elected to the governing bodies;

4. Requesting the convening of a General Meeting, under legitimate grounds, the petition must be subscribed by no less than twenty members and delivered to the Chairman of the Board of the General Meeting.

5. To examine the accounts, budget and accounting and other records that, for this purpose, shall be made available to them at the head office.

Article 9

The members’ duties are

1. To promote the development and growth of SPIEM;

2. Participate in the functioning of SPIEM, namely by exercising the positions to which they are elected;

3. Respect the deliberations taken in the appropriate instances;

4. Pay membership fees on time.

Article 10

1. In addition to ordinary members, this association has four categories of members, regardless of nationality, designated as:

1.1. Student members;

1.2. Institutional members;

1.3. Benefactor members;

1.4. Honorary members.

2. Student members are students who develop research in Mathematics Education.

3. Institutional members are entities with activities in the field of teaching, scientific research or other civil society entities.

4. Benefactor members are those natural or collective persons that, through donations made to SPIEM, deserve SPIEM’s recognition.

5. Honorary members are those individuals who, for their scientific prestige in the field of research in mathematics education or for any other acts in favour of this association, the association considers that it should confer on them this testimony of consideration.

Chapter III – Governing Bodies

Article 11

SPIEM’s organs are the General Assembly, the Board of Directors and the Fiscal Council.

1. The Board of Directors, the Supervisory Board and the General Meeting Board are elected every three years at a General Meeting.

2. The Board of the General Assembly, the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board are elected at a General Assembly specially convened for the purpose, by secret and universal ballot, through the presentation of separate lists for each of the corporate bodies.

Article 12

The General Assembly is a deliberative body, made up of all members in full possession of their rights.

Article 13

1. The competencies of the General Assembly are those prescribed in the applicable legal diplomas, namely:

1.1. To elect and dismiss members of the managing bodies;

1.2. Deliberate on amendments to SPIEM’s statutes;

1.3. To approve the report and accounts concerning general activities and the activities plan and budget of SPIEM for the following year;

1.4. Deliberate on the admission of meritorious and honorary members;

1.5. To pronounce on all exceptional situations in the life of SPIEM and whenever necessary under the terms of the law.

2. The General Assembly meets ordinarily once a year.

3. Decisions at the General Assembly are taken by an absolute majority of the members present.

Article 14

The Board of the General Meeting consists of three elements, a President and two members.

Article 15

1. The Direction is composed of five elements, a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer and a Member. The President is responsible for coordinating and directing the activities of SPIEM.

2. The Board of Directors is made up of the list voted for by the majority of the General Assembly.

3. Decisions of the Board shall be taken by majority vote of the members present.

4. The Board may not deliberate without the presence of at least half of its members.

5. The President of the Board cannot be elected for more than two consecutive terms.

Article 16

1. It is the duty of the Direction to coordinate the activities of SPIEM, being responsible for all the powers that by these statutes or by law are not reserved to the General Assembly or to the Fiscal Council, namely:

1.1. To ensure the fulfilment of members’ rights;

1.2. To carry out the day-to-day management of all matters relating to the life of SPIEM;

1.3. Convening and chairing meetings of the Board;

1.4. To draw up the report and accounts for the completed calendar year and the budget for the following year;

1.5. To execute and enforce the decisions of the General Assembly;

1.6. To represent SPIEM.

2. One of the other members of the Board of Directors may replace the President when he/she is absent or unable to attend.

Article 17

If the President of the Direction of SPIEM is removed from office, an extraordinary General Assembly will be convened to elect a new Direction.

2. In the case of vacancy of a member other than the President, the position shall be filled by invitation of the Board.

3. Any member of the Board of Directors may be removed from office by a decision taken at a General Assembly expressly convened for that purpose, which must be approved by an absolute majority of all SPIEM’s members.

Article 18

The Supervisory Board consists of three members, a Chairman and two other members. It meets at least once a year and is responsible for supervising the Board’s administrative and financial acts, drafting the annual opinion on the Board’s management accounts report and, at the Board’s request, giving its opinion on any act involving an increase in expenditure or a decrease in income.

Chapter IV – Revenue

Article 19

SPIEM’s revenues are

1. The proceeds of the membership fees paid by the members;

2. Official and private grants and donations;

3. The proceeds from the sale of publications and the provision of services within the scope of its purposes.

Article 20

The annual membership fee is set by the Board.

Chapter V – Extinction and Dissolution

Article 21

1. Apart from the cases provided for by law, the dissolution of the association can only be decided upon at a General Meeting expressly convened for that purpose, and it must be approved by a majority of three-quarters of the votes of the total number of all members.

2. Once the association is dissolved, the powers of its organs shall be limited to the practice of merely conservatory acts.

Article 22

The liquidation, in case of dissolution of SPIEM, will be carried out within six months by three liquidators nominated by the General Assembly and, once the debts have been paid or the amounts necessary for their payment have been consigned, the remainder will be destined to a destination fixed by the General Assembly that approves the dissolution, unless the law imposes another destination.

Chapter VI – Final provisions

Article 23

Cases not provided for in these statutes shall be resolved by recourse to the general law.