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Rules for IAG Scientific Meetings

The following rules must be applied to IAG Scientific Meetings

1. IAG scientific meetings are organized by IAG components (Commissions, Inter-commission Committees, Services, Global Geodetic Observing System and Projects) or IAG Sub-components (Sub-commissions, other Inter-commission Committees, Projects, Study Groups, Working Groups). They may take place:

  • during IAG General Assemblies, held in conjunction with the IUGG General Assemblies,
  • during IAG Scientific Assemblies, held in-between successive General Assemblies, or
  • at any time and place apart from the General or Scientific Assemblies.

2. During the General or Scientific Assemblies symposia and other meetings are in general organized by IAG components or sub-components. For specific topics there may be joint symposia of several components or sub-components under a convener appointed by the IAG Executive Committee. The inclusion of scientific papers for presentation at a General or Scientific Assembly is decided by a Scientific Committee established by the IAG Executive Committee.

3. At General Assemblies joint symposia covering topics of two or more Associations within the Union and/or other international scientific organizations may be organized. Though the IAG may act as convener or co- convener, these symposia follow the IUGG rules.

4. The IAG may participate also in joint symposia with other Associations at any other time outside of the General Assemblies, following the same procedures.

5. The IAG may sponsor symposia covering appropriate topics of Geodesy at any time outside of the General or Scientific Assemblies. It shall be called IAG sponsored Symposium if the following conditions are fulfilled:

  • The symposium has to be organized by at least one component or two sub-components of the IAG.
  • The host organization of the symposium must accept a representative in the Scientific Organizing Committee (SOC) appointed by the IAG Executive Committee.
  • The symposium must be open to all bonafide scientists in accordance with the ICSU rules.
  • The proceedings of the symposium shall be published.
  • If there is a registration fee, it must be reduced for IAG members by at least 10%.
  • Immediately after the end of the Symposium the chairperson of the Scientific Committee shall prepare a summary to be published in the IAG Newsletter.

6. Applications for approval to be designated IAG Symposium should be submitted to the Secretary General of the IAG at least twelve months before the proposed date of the Symposium. The following information must be provided in the application for approval:

  1. Title,
  2. Date and duration,
  3. Location,
  4. Sponsoring IAG (Sub-) components,
  5. Other co-sponsoring scientific organizations with letters enclosed,
  6. Suggested composition of the Scientific Organizing Committee,
  7. Local Organizing Committee, host organization, name and address of contact, etc.
  8. Estimated number of participants,
  9. Financial support expected from sources other than the IAG,
  10. Names of the proposed editors of proceedings,
  11. Draft scientific program,
  12. A detailed account of why the proposed symposium is useful and necessary at the time proposed, and its relationship with other meetings.

7. Guidelines for the organization of the symposium:

a) The Scientific Organizing Committee is responsible for ensuring a high standard of scientific value of the symposium. The chair of the Committee:

  • invites participants after the symposium is approved by the IAG Executive Committee,
  • invites contributions and sets a deadline for sub- missions of abstracts, and
  • informs the IAG Secretary General of all important matters pertaining to the symposium.

b) The Local Organizing Committee is responsible for the smooth running of the symposium. It does not receive financial assistance from the IAG, with all the necessary expenses being met by local funds or by contributions from the participants. The require- ments of local organizations are generally as follows:

  • providing meeting rooms suitable for the expected number of participants,
  • providing the facilities for oral and visual presen- tations,
  • provide adequate space and logistical support for poster sessions (if any),
  • reproduction of participants’ document (if neces- sary), organize publication of proceedings or pro- duction of CD version,
  • sufficient secretarial and technical assistance,
  • undertake full responsibility for registration of participants, maintaining a web page, printing of brochures and programmes, etc.
  • information on accommodation (hostels, hotels, etc…), sent to the IAG Executive Committee for acceptance, and to prospective participants,
  • organizing receptions and excursions during a free period within the meeting, or just before or after the meeting.

8. The IAG Executive Committee shall recognize scientific meetings other than symposia (workshops, etc.) organized by IAG (Sub-) Components, alone or jointly with other international and national groups and bodies, at any time outside of the General Assemblies, if they have been approved by the Executive Committee. The Meeting may be announced as “International Meeting, organized by the ……. of IAG”. It is not permitted to use the term “IAG Symposium”.

9. The IAG may recognize scientific meetings, organized by national bodies as important scientific events with benefit for the international geodetic community, and sponsor them if the meeting is open to all scientists according to the ICSU Rules, and will be sponsored by at least one IAG (Sub-) Component, and if the organizer undertakes to maintain the expected standard for IAG-Symposia.

These Meetings may be announced as “International Meeting, organized by ….., sponsored by IAG”. It is not permitted to use the term “IAG Symposium”. Sponsor- ship by the IAG means only official recognition and does not imply financial support by the IAG. The IAG may appoint an official representative to that meeting. The IAG expects that, in the event that proceedings are published, the Proceedings will be prepared by the local organizers and published within 6-8 months after the end of the meeting.

Applications for sponsorship should be submitted to the IAG Secretary General not later than 12 months before the intended date of the meeting.

10. In its decision whether to approve and/or sponsor a scientific meeting, the IAG Executive Committee takes into account the need for a balanced selection of meetings, a representative coverage of subjects, and a good geographical distribution. The IAG wishes to avoid duplication of symposia or meetings, and to discourage symposia or meetings with overlapping themes that are held with too high a frequency. The IAG Secretary General shall publish a calendar of IAG Symposia and other scientific meetings organized or sponsored by IAG components or sub- components in the IAG Newsletter, in the Journal of Geodesy, and on the IAG Website.