Asian Population Association

Report on APA Council meeting during 6-8 March in Bangkok

Dear APA members,

I am delighted to report that we had a very productive APA Council meeting in Bangkok 6-8 March. I was very impressed and enjoyed working with unique Council representing both high qualifications and devotion to the Association. The summary of minutes of our meeting will be posted on the APA website very soon, but here is a pr?cis of the meeting.

? The APA honorary President, Leela Visaria, and the past Executive Secretary, Bhassorm Limanonda (represented by Sureeporn Punpuing) reported the activities, administrative and financial issues for 2009-2010.

Membership: We were pleased that the number of APA members has grown to around 1100 by January 2011. We noted a diversity of members in terms of their regional background, but there are some parts of Asia that are under represented. We particularly encourage more members from Southeast Asia, West Asia, and China.? Due to difficulties with the online payment system only 200 members have paid the membership fees.? The Executive Secretary and Treasurer will look into the possibilities to make payment easier. The membership fee will remain as $USD25, and instructions and reminders will be sent to members about the payment in due course.

The Council reviewed the only proposal for hosting the next APA conference received from the Institute for Population and Social Research (IPSR) from Mahidol University.? Given that the IPSP hosts the APA Secretariat as well as convenience for visa administration and costs and the centrality of Bangkok for such conferences, the council agreed that the second conference of the APA should be held in Bangkok during late August 2012. The details of the conference, themes, venue, and timeline will be sent to you soon.

Working groups: The council discussed the proposals to set up working groups. These are aimed at strengthening the discipline of demography and supporting demographic research. Workshops and seminars organized by these groups will provide platforms for sharing knowledge by APA members in different regions of Asia. The news on their activities will also be regularly shared with you through the APA website and newsletter.

Amendments to the APA Constitution have been proposed by members. The proposals will be shared with members prior to the next AGM for their decision. The APA website and publications were also discussed. A committee will be revising the website and take care of the publication of the APA Newsletter twice a year. Finally, various committees have been formed to follow up the implementation of these activities.? The Council is dedicated and will be working hard during this council term. However, these objectives will not be reached without your active participation and continued commitment. We count on you support!

Best wishes,
Mohammad Jalal Abbasi-Shavazi
APA President