This is not the only piece of news about the EURA Board.
The General Assembly was the occasion to discuss proposals for improving the collective leadership of the association. Upon request of the President Valeria Fedeli, and on the base of the proposals formulated by the Task Force NEW GENERATION EURA, led by Robin Hambleton with the help of several colleagues of the GB, the General Assembly discussed and approved the idea of creating new dedicated roles and dedicated task forces, supporting the Association in the everyday activities as well as in more strategic tasks.
Six Key-roles were identified, for the Governing Board to be effective:
• The President. The President provides overall leadership of the association. She or he is the Chief Executive of the association and shall preside at all meetings of the Governing Board and the General Assembly. S/he is responsible for appointing Governing Board members and EURA members to committees of the association.
• Vice President. The Vice President shall perform the duties of the President in the event of the absence, disability or death of the latter. The Vice President (VP) is responsible for building positive and mutually beneficial relations with EURA’s very important Institutional Members, for attracting young scholars to join the association and for expanding the membership of EURA (Institutional and Individual Members). The VP should consider whether they wish to be supported in this work by a new EURA Membership Committee (comprising, say, 3 to 5 members of EURA). The VP shall provide regular reports to the Governing Board on membership trends and initiatives to boost EURA membership.
• The Secretary and EURA Initiatives Leader. The Secretary shall work closely with the President and shall combine the roles of Secretary and Treasurer. S/he will record and circulate the minutes of the Governing Board and the General Assembly. The Secretary will work closely with the paid staff working in the EURA Secretariat and, in collaboration with the President, will keep under review the finances of EURA and provide financial reports to the Governing Board. In addition, the Secretary shall provide advice and support to various EURA Initiatives, such as EURA working groups, and shall take a lead in recommending new initiatives to the Governing Board.
• The Conferences and Events Leader and Team. The EURA Conferences and Events Leader (CEL), together with a dedicated task force from the Board (CELTf), shall take responsibility for developing the forward plan for EURA Annual Conferences as well as smaller EURA events and workshops. In the future events will be actual and virtual and the CEL shall be responsible for developing the EURA Conference and Events Strategy in a post COVID-19 world. The CEL should consider whether they wish to be supported in this work by a new EURA Conference and Events Committee (comprising 3 to 5 people with ideally some members from outside the Governing Board and, hopefully, one or two colleagues who have organised previous EURA Conferences). The CEL will work closely with those responsible for the development and delivery of EURA Summer Schools and Winter Schools to ensure their continued success.
• The E-Communications Leader/Task Force. The Communications Leader (CL), together with a dedicated Task Force (CTf) from the Board, shall take responsibility for developing the virtual presence of EURA on the internet, and will work closely with the paid EURA Web Officer. The CL and CT should be expected to develop new initiatives to enhance the digital vibrancy and immediacy of EURA as an international space devoted to informed discussions about the future of cities.
• The Publications Leader/Task Force. The Publications Leader (PL), together with a dedicated Task Force (PTf) shall take responsibility for developing the EURA publications strategy. S/he will work closely with the Editor of Urban Research and Practice in developing ways of promoting the journal. In addition, the PL shall oversee the development of emerging and new EURA publications projects – for example, new books or book series
The following colleagues have shown interest and availability to support this new organisation and we highly thank them for their dedication to developing the future of EURA future:
• Vice President: Filipe Teles
• Conferences and Events Team: Paula Russell, Sonia De Gregorio Hurtado, Susanne Soholt, Jurlina Dubravka, Alistair Johnes, Le Anh Nguyen Long
• E-Communications Task Force: Ignazio Vinci, Le Anh Nguyen Long
• Publications Task Force: Christina Stanus, Ignazio Vinci, Valeria Fedeli, Marichela Sepe
The year 2021 opens with the invitation to these taskforces to start organising, identifying their Leader and objectives, with the aim of being ready in the occasion of the new EURA President, due to be elected in June 2021 (see below).
Their work will be pivotal and the new EURA President will have the opportunity to revise this proposal on the base of the first results of this experimental semester.
