Leadership and Contact
IPO EXECUTIVE BOARD
Michael Paroussis (Greece)
Miha Andrič (Slovenia)
Thor Steinar Grødal (Norway)
Contact: board.ipo@gmail.com
You may contact IPO Executive board for any IPO related questions. IPO executive board members will assist you or direct you to the relevant IPO body.
ON THE IPO ADMINISTRATION
(From the IPO STATUTES)
Administration of the IPO
The administration of the IPO is carried out by the following bodies:
a) The International Committee consists of the delegation leaders of all those countries that have already organized an IPO.
The International Committee of the IPO will meet every year on the occasion of the Olympiads, and will discuss measures to be taken for the future development of IPO. It is chaired by the Executive Board in cooperation with the President of the current National Organizing Committee. The IC chooses three delegation members as the Executive Board of the IPO for two years. Each year it chooses three delegation members from countries that have hosted an IPO (IC member countries) to represent it on the Steering Board and makes a decision concerning the country in which the next Olympiads will take place. The International Committee has the right to exclude from the IPO persons who, or delegations which, have violated IPO regulations.
The International Committee is also authorized to elect some of its members to consider proposals for changes in these statutes and to prepare a report on these proposals in collaboration with the FISP members of the Steering Board. Proposals agreed to by a 2/3 majority of the International Committee will then be reported to the FISP Steering Committee.
b) The Executive Board of the IPO consists of the three IC-members, elected by the IC for the next two years. (The term begins on 1 July. Re-election possible after two years, then two-year break before possible next re-election.)
The Executive Board has the right and the duty to manage the affairs of the IPO and to represent it in accordance with the Statutes. ensure the correct application of the present Statutes and any other internal regulations, and convene and organize the IC meeting during the IPO. The EC sends a report on the IC meeting to all IC members.
The Executive Board decides by simple majority. Info re decisions of importance shall be sent to all IC members within 10 days. Decisions can be changed by the IC with a simple majority.
The Board is entitled to delegate certain of its tasks to one or more members of the IC or the International Jury.
Board members may be removed by the IC for just cause, in particular if the Board member has violated her/his obligations towards the IPO, in particular the Code of Ethics, or if the Board member is not in a position to exercise her/his functions correctly. Board members may resign at any time by submitting a written declaration to the IC.
c) The Steering Board of the IPO consists of:
- the President of FISP (or his/her representative), and two other members of the FISP Steering Committee and/or representatives chosen by it;
- three members of the International Committee, elected each year by it.
It is chaired by the President of FISP (or his/her representative).
This Board collaborates with the Executive Board and the IPO National Organizing Committee for the successful preparation and realization of the competition. In particular it helps with the diffusion of information through the FISP Newsletter and in other ways, helps the National Organizing Committee to find international financial support for the IPO, decides on the distribution of prizes, and in case of any dispute concerning the distribution of prizes takes the final decision.
d) The National Organizing Committee.
The host country will establish a National Organizing Committee. The National Organizing Committee is constituted each year from June 1 to May 31 and is responsible for organizing the annual IPO. It is expected to coordinate its planning with the International Committee and to keep it informed of its decisions. After the IPO is held, the National Organizing Committee will send a full report of the competition and its outcome to the International Committee, to the Steering Board, to the FISP Steering Committee, and to the other participants.
e) The International Jury consists of all the delegation leaders and teachers (max. two per country, except three, including the delegation leader, from the previous host country).
All members of the International Jury are required to have a degree that allows them to teach philosophy at high schools/secondary schools or universities in their own country, or have a demonstrated competence for acting as a member of the International Jury. The Organizing Committee of each IPO, in co-operation with the Steering Board, will decide on possible issues regarding new members of the International Jury.
f) The Ethics Committee can be approached by any participant in the IPO, student or teacher, that feels treated unjustly in any way. In case of a complaint, the main task of the Ethics Committee is to mediate between all parties concerned. If the matter cannot be resolved, the final decision always lies with the International Committee. In such an event, the Ethics Committee informs the International Committee in so far as a regard for the privacy of the persons involved will allow.
The Ethics Committee consists of three elected members, two of which must come from countries that have previously hosted an IPO (the International Committee). No more than one member can be elected from the International Jury at large, but this person needs to be a long-standing IPO participant.
During the election of the Ethics Committee, gender diversity must always be taken into account. The members of the Ethics Committee are elected by the International Committee every second year and receive a mandate for two consecutive years. Members of the Ethics Committee can be re-elected for another mandate of two years. Membership to the Ethics Committee is thereby limited to four years.
The Organizing Committee of the host country will send the names and email-addresses of the Ethics Committee members to all invited participants, and will put this information on their official website, including a short biography of each Ethics Committee member.