Guidance on the application for associate society status in IRPA
		The purpose of this guidance note is to summarize and explain: (1) the organizational structure of the International Radiation Protection Association (2) the criteria for acceptance as an Associate Society of IRPA (3) the required information in an application for Associate Society status (4) the admission procedure. Additional information may be obtained from the Executive Officer or the Vice-President who is the Chairman of the Admissions Committee.

1. Organizational structure
		The primary purpose of the IRPA is to provide a medium whereby those engaged in radiation protection activities in all countries may communicate more readily with each other and through this process advance radiation protection in many parts of the world. The IRPA provides a medium whereby the Associate Society may share in radiation protection activities at the international level. The IRPA recognizes that its most important functions include the holding of an International IRPA Congress, the sponsorship of Regional IRPA Congresses and other international meetings, and the sponsorship of scientific and technical publications in the field of radiation protection. The IRPA does not infringe upon the autonomy of the Associate Society leaving the Society free to function effectively in radiation protection activities of local, national or regional interest. The IRPA accepts as an affiliate only one Associate Society in each country or region. The IRPA recognizes the individual member as an “important element in its corporate structures”. The IRPA depends upon the Associate Society to recruit its members. The IRPA requires that membership in the IRPA be contingent upon membership in good standing in an Associate Society. The IRPA prescribes in a general way the qualifications for membership in the Associate Society and each member of the Associate Society automatically becomes a member of the IRPA. The IRPA derives its power to function directly from its members and IRPA's activities are guided by the members through conventional democratic processes. Control over the activities of the IRPA is vested in a General Assembly. The General Assembly is composed of the members of the Executive Council and delegates who are full members of and represent the Associate Societies. The number of delegates allocated to an Associate Society is based on the number of full members enrolled in the Associate Society. The General Assembly meets at the time of an IRPA Congress. The administration of the affairs of the IRPA is vested in the Executive Council. The Executive Council includes the officers of the IRPA plus six Executive Council members. The officers and other members of the Executive Council are elected either directly or indirectly by the General Assembly. The IRPA activities are financed from dues paid by the Associate Societies, from grants and gifts, and from the proceeds of IRPA congresses and other international meetings

2. Criteria for acceptance
		Any national or regional (supranational) society of good standing, with particular devotion to radiation protection may apply to become an Associate Society of IRPA, so long as its confirms to the provisions of the IRPA Constitution and Rules. A “society” may be a section of a larger professional society such a Physical or Medical Society provided that it has sufficient independence within that Society to satisfy the criteria for acceptance. The criteria in the judging of an application for Associate Society status are: (a) The constitution of the society must explicitly address the objective to promote and further radiation protection and the objectives and purposes of the society shall be consistent with the provisions of the IRPA , i.e. to further radiation protection by promoting knowledge, information, research, etc (b) The society must be a non profit organization and shall not have objectives or carry out activities or support with their funds any activities which would make them trade unions (c) The qualifications for membership in the society shall be generally in accordance with the following criteria: Full member: An Associate Society may elect to full membership in the Society, and hence in the IRPA, reputable persons who (i) have graduated from a University, an accredited school of college grade, or equivalent institution, or have recognized scientific, technological or professional qualifications or, in exceptional cases, have equivalent training and (ii) are regularly engaged in one or more appropriate aspects of radiation protection or, in appropriate cases, have an interest and competence in one or more such aspects at a level commensurate with acceptable levels of performance in the country or region where the Society functions. Appropriate aspects of radiation protection are considered to include, but arc not necessarily limited to, applied activities, research, education and training, or administrative and regulatory functions. Associate member: An Associate Society may elect to associate membership in the Society, and hence in the IRPA, reputable persons who do not meet the requirements for full membership. Associate members shall, however, not be eligible for election as delegates to the General Assembly, as members of the Executive Council, nor as Officers of the IRPA. (d) The procedures for admission of members and for selection of officers and duly authorized representatives of the society must be designed to express the will of the majority of the members of the society (e) The society shall not accept any financial support if this prejudices or compromises the objectives of the society or if this interferes with the free expression of opinion.

3. Application
		Any group of professionals who are contemplating the formation of a society with a view to applying for IRPA Associate Society status is invited to make an informal approach to the Executive Officer or the Vice President as early as possible in order to receive assistance from IRPA during these initial stages. The Chairman or another member of the Admissions Committee will normally be assigned to assist in the preparation of the admissions documentation. The formal application for IRPA Associate Society status must: (a) be in writing to the Executive Officer of IRPA and must be signed by the President or other duly authorized representative of the society. The application must include a statement, that the decision to apply for the IRPA Associate Society status expresses the will of the majority of the members of the society (i.e. by a decision at a General Meeting of the Society). (b) be accompanied by an authorized copy or excerpt of the constitution or rules (translated into English if necessary) which exemplifies in particular those parts of the constitution and rules, which specifically refer to each of the criteria for acceptance as an Associate Society of IRPA. The Society must also state that it will send to IRPA before 1st November each year an up-to-date list of members, and each December the dues for the following year. (c) clearly specify the name of the country or the names of the countries in the region where the society functions. (If the Society includes a few members in one or more other countries for which another Associate Society is set up, no objection will be raised so long as the members are Nationals of the applying country or have other connections with that country). (d) be accompanied by a statement of the number of members which should show about 20 full members and the names and addresses of the officers of the society.

4. Admission procedure
		The Executive Officer will pass each application for IRPA Associate Society status to the Vice President of the Association, who is chairman of the Admissions Committee. This committee is responsible for advising the Executive Council on the merits of each such application received. The society must supply additional information as the Admissions Committee may request in order to decide whether or not to confer Associate Society status. The Associate Society status is obtained by approval of the Executive Council. When it is necessary to reach decision at a time when it is not practicable to hold an Executive Council meeting, this shall be done by mail ballot. A decision requires the approval of a majority of the members of the Executive Council.