Constitution of the Belt and Road & South-South Cooperation Agricultural Education, Science and Technology Innovation League

(June 22, 2018)

1 General Provision

1.1The Name of the League

1.1.1Full name of the League in Chinese: “一带一路”/南南合作农业教育科技创新联盟 (“yīdàiyīlù ”/nánnánhézuònóngyèjiāoyùkējìchuàngxīnliánméng)

1.1.2 Full name of the League in English: The Belt and Road & South-South Cooperation Agricultural Education, Science and Technology Innovation League

1.2 The Nature of the League

The League is a non-government and non-profit multilateral open platform for international cooperation, which was initiated by China Agricultural University and voluntarily joined and jointly established by the institutions of higher learning or academic research in agriculture in the countries along Belt and Road and countries or regions of South-South Cooperation.

1.3 The Mission of the League

The League upholds the concept of peaceful cooperation, opening inclusiveness, mutual learning, mutual benefits, and win-win effects and is committed to advancing the close cooperation among the members in the areas such as agricultural research, technical application, policy dialogue, talent cultivation, and cultural communication. Through building cooperative platform and sharing resources, the members jointly facilitate agricultural education and scientific and technological progress and development in the countries along Belt and Road and countries or regions of South-South Cooperation.

2 Organizations

2.1 The League Members

2.1.1 The institutions of higher learning that initiated the League are the founding members of the League.

2.1.2 The League was initiated by China Agricultural University in conjunction with some institutions of higher learning in agriculture and forestry industries in China and those in the countries along the Belt and Road and countries or regions of South-South Cooperation.

2.2 The Membership

2.2.1The League is open to the institutions of higher learning or academic research in agriculture in China and those in the countries along the Belt and Road and countries or regions of South-South Cooperation.

2.2.2 The institution that intends to join the League shall apply to general-secretary institution, and then the institution with general-secretary status shall consult the opinions of the standing council, and the membership takes effect when two third of the standing council members approved the application.

2.3 Rights of the Members

2.3.1 Use the League’s platform to share educational resources and scientific and technological information.

2.3.2 Hold and take part in the League members’ conferences, communications, discussions, and other cooperation and exchanges.

2.3.3Hold and take part in intercollegiate exchange, mutual visit, talent cultivation, research cooperation, cultural communication, policy study, public service, and other activities under the League’s framework of cooperation.

2.3.4 Propose suggestions about the League construction and take part in the related discussions.

2.4 Obligations of the Members

2.4.1 Always observe the League Constitution and honor the League’s reputation.

2.4.2Diligently take part in the activities organized by the League, implement the relevant cooperation agreements, promote the League’s initiatives, and communicate the related information to the institution with general-secretary status in a timely way.  

2.4.3 Establish cooperation with good faith and harm no other member’s reputation or interest.

2.5 The Standing Council

2.5.1 The League has a standing council as the daily decision-making organ.  

2.5.2The member institutions of the Standing Council consist of the League’s founding members and the institutions that engage in the League’s daily operation constitute.

2.5.3 The member institutions of the Standing Council shall diligently advance the League construction and development, facilitate the friendly cooperation among the League members, and organize the related activities.

2.5.4 The Standing Council formulates and amends the League Constitution through consultation.

2.5.5The Standing Council provides advice and guidance to the institution with general-secretary status on a regular basis.

2.5.6The Standing Council holds at least one annual meeting.

2.5.7 The Standing Council consists of the member institutions that played a key role in the founding of the League. When necessary, the membership of the Standing Council can be adjusted at every League Conference.

2.6 The Institution with General-secretary Status

2.6.1 China Agricultural University is the institution with general-secretary status and responsible for the League’s work of daily liaison and organization.

2.6.2 A member institution becomes the institution with deputy general-secretary status in the year if it applied to the Standing Council for hosting the League Conference and the application was approved.

3 Major Commitments

3.1 Promote talent cultivation and share educational resources. Use the respective disciplinary advantages of the domestic and overseas member institutions, establish a mechanism for international talent cultivation, enlarge the number of international students among the member institutions, and strengthen the training of agricultural technicians.

3.2 Jointly advance agricultural scientific and technological innovation. Diligently facilitate the multilateral, bilateral, or diversified scientific and technological cooperation and jointly enhance the ability of independent agricultural scientific and technological innovation in China and the countries along Belt and Road and countries or regions of South-South Cooperation.

3.3 Push forward the sharing among China and other countries on agricultural technology and development experience. Actively promote agricultural technology communication, extension and experience sharing among China and the Belt and Road countries, as well as countries of South-South Cooperation.

3.4Advocateagricultural policy dialogue. Build the think tank of the Belt and Road & South-South Cooperation Agricultural Education, Science and Technology Innovation League, conduct researches of the Belt and Road/South-South Cooperation on agricultural policies, publish research achievements, and hold multi-level and diversified international conferences and seminars on policy to enhance agricultural policy dialogue and communication between China and other countries.