Charter of Association for Pharmacy Training Programs Evaluation and Accreditation

PART I Name and Headquarters of the Association:

Article 1 – The name of the association is “Association for Pharmacy Training Programs Evaluation and Accreditation”. The abbreviated name of the association is “ECZAKDER” and it shall hereinafter be referred to in the following articles of the Charter with its abbreviated name.  The headquarters of the Association is in Ankara and it does not have any branch.

Purpose, Working Subjects and Activity Fields of the Association

Article 2 – The Association envisages to carry out accreditation, evaluation and information works for the pharmacy training programs and to leverage the quality of pharmacy training in Turkey and thus contribute to its development. Thus it is aimed at raising pharmacists who have the objective of serving the country, the society and the humanity, have the discipline to reach up to date knowledge, have knowledge accumulation to a degree to respond the requirements of the society, have the skills to produce and make any type of drug and pharmaceutics, provide drug and health consultancy, follow scientific literature and are loyal to the ethical values, and thus to advance the health level of the society and protect the quality of the pharmacy profession. In line with these fundamental objectives, the purpose, fields of operation and activity works of the Association are determined according to the scope of the Regulation on “Academic Evaluation and Quality Development in Higher Education Organizations” published in the Official Gazette dated 20.09.2005 No. 25942 prepared in reliance upon the Articles 7 and 65 of “Higher Education Law No. 2547” of Higher Education Board.

2.1) Basic Objectives:

The basic objectives of ECZAKDER are as follows within the framework of certain commonly accepted standards at national and international level:

1- Carry out evaluation, accreditation and information work for the pharmacy training programs;

2- Contributing in the development of quality of pharmacy training in Turkey at a level that could compete in the international arena;

3- Raising pharmacists who could implement information and skills they have learned in drug and health field at advanced level, who are loyal to ethical values and who have adopted lifelong learning as a principle, and thus advancing the health level of the society.

2.2) Working Issues and Forms to be Performed by the Association

a) Evaluate the pharmacy training programs upon the application of organizations, and to accredit them;  

b) Carry out selection and training of members and evaluators to work in the accreditation works;  

c) Carry out information and training on program evaluation of program managers and academicians;  

d) Continuously follow the current and future requirements of relevant shareholders in relation to the pharmacy training, ensure that program evaluation criteria are determined (including professional competency and implementation standards in pharmacy), evaluation criteria and processes are reviewed and renewed as required;  

e) Organize courses, seminars, conferences, panels, workshops etc. at national and international level for realizing its purposes, and support the works within this scope;  

f) Contact national and international associations, professional organizations and accreditation organizations related to education, evaluation and accreditation, cooperate with them, carry out joint projects, exchange help;  

g) Conclude national and international mutual and multilateral recognition agreements;  

h) Becoming a member to relevant national and international organizations;  

i) Carry out researches and examinations for making effective and developing its activities, to have these carried out, to publish them and have them published;

j) Obtain any type of information, document, papers and publications, create documentation center, create web page, issue newspapers, journals, books as well as working and information bulletins to be distributed to its members in line with its objectives for announcing its activities, prepare printed, visual and audible materials related to its field of activity, to disseminate the same via mail and electronic mail; 

k) Provide a healthy working environment in order to realize its objectives, provide any type of technical tools and equipment, fixtures and stationaries;

l) Engage in aid collection activities provides that it shall obtain relevant permits and act in accordance with the procedures specified in the Aid Collection Law No. 2860, accept donations from within the country and abroad;  

m) Establish and operate economic, commercial and industrial enterprises in order to obtain the revenues it need for realizing its objectives, and to become partners to enterprises for similar purposes;  

n) To purchase, sell, lease, rent movable and immovable properties required for the activities of the association, and to establish in kind rights on immovable assets;  

o) Establish federation if required for realizing its objectives or participate in a federation which is previously established, establish facilities which the associations may establish by obtaining relevant permits, establish foundation unions with part of its properties;  

p) If deemed necessary for realizing its purposes, to carry out joint projects in issues which are included within its task areas with public institutions and organizations provided that the provisions of Law on Relations of Association and Foundations With Public Institutions and Organizations No. 5072 shall be reserved;  

r) Establish platforms in order to realize a common objective with other associations or foundations, trade unions and similar civil society organizations in areas which are related to the objective of the association and which are not prohibited by laws;

2.3) Field of Activity of the Association

The Association shall operate in the field of training within the country and abroad.

PART II Membership Conditions and Admission to Membership

Article 3 – 3.1) Among people who have capacity to act;  

a) Having worked in National Pharmacy Training Accreditation Board and its sub-commissions for a minimum period of one year; or

b) Having worked in the evaluation team at least twice in the national or international organizations such as ECZAKDER which carry out the evaluation fo pharmacy training programs;  

c) Being a founding member of Pharmacy Faculty Deans’ Council (ECZDEK) and/or having worked at least for one period as the secretary of ECZDEK Executive Board;

d) Having worked as dean for at least one period (3 years) in the Pharmacy Faculties;  

e) Being a member of profession who has provided significant contributions in the purpose and fields of activity of ECZAKDER with his/her knowledge. 3.2 Public and private law legal personalities who will support the objectives of ECZAKDER with their objectives and activities they carry out, can be ECZAKDER with the decision of the Board of Directors.

Participation of Members Who Carry out Academic Duties in Universities and Faculties In Program Evaluation and Accreditation Works

Article 4- Those who are assigned as Dean and Vice Dean in pharmacy faculties and who become a member of ECZAKDER while carrying out these tasks, may not participate oi Program Evaluation and Accreditation works in order to prevent any possible conflict and/ or overlap of interest during the period of such duties.  All other membership rights shall continue to exist.

Dismissal from Membership

Article 5 – Each member may withdraw from ECZAKDER membership any time by a written resignation.  When the resignation application of the member is received by the Board of Directors, the termination processes shall be deemed to have ended.  Withdrawal from membership shall not terminate the accumulated debts of the member to the Association.  No debt proceeds shall be carried out due to termination of membership for death.

Dismissal from Membership

Article 6 – Members who lose the conditions required by the law and this statute shall be dismissed from ECZAKDER membership with the Board Decision.  Conditions which require dismissal from ECZAKDER membership are listed below:  

a) Engaging in behaviors that are in violation of the charter of ECZAKDER;  

b) Refraining from performing the tasks assigned;

c) Failure to pay the membership fee within six months despite the written warnings made;

d) Failure to comply with decision given by the bodies of ECZAKDER;

e) Having lost the conditions to become member.

Organs

Article 7 – The organs of ECZAKDER are listed below:  

a) General Council

b) Board of Directors

c) Upon the recommendation of the Audit Board and Board of Directors and approval of the General Council, sub-commissions and/or other new boards could be established in order to  fulfill the activities of ECZAKDER.

General Council

Article 8- The General Council is the highest authoritative body of ECZAKDER, comprising the members registered at ECZAKDER.  The ordinary general council shall meet every three years in May at the place and on the time to be determined by the board of directors.  Legal persons who are the members of the association shall notify to the Association Chairman of Board of Directors by whom they will be represented in the General Council meeting by the beginning of April of the year in which the General Council will be held, together with the required authorization documents.

Call to General Council and Meeting Quorum

Article 9 – a) The Board of Directors shall regulate the list of members who have the right to participate in the general council according to the association charter. Members who have right to participate in the general council shall be called to meeting at least fifteen days in advance by announcing on at least one newspaper or the web page of the association the date, time, place and agenda of the meeting, by notifying in writing, by sending as message to the contact numbers or e-mail addresses notified by the members, or by using the local broadcasting means.  If the meeting could not be held upon this call due to failure to meet the quorum, it shall be indicated on which date, at what time and where the second meeting will be held.  The period between the first meeting and the second meeting shall not be less than seven days and more than sixty days.

b) If the meeting is not held for any reason other than meeting the quorum, this shall be notified to the members in accordance with the procedure of calling for the first meeting by indicating the reasons for not having the meeting, and a call is made for the second meeting. It is necessary that the second meeting shall be convened within maximum six months following the date of cancellation of the first meeting.  General council meeting shall not be cancelled for more than once.  

c) The General Council shall meet with the participation of half plus one of the members who have the right to participate in the first meeting, and of two thirds in cases of charter amendment and termination of ECZAKDER;

In case that the meeting is postponed due to failing to meet the quorum, no quorum shall be required in the second meeting.  However, number of members participating in this meeting shall not be less than twice the full number of primary members of board of directors and audit board.

General Council Meeting Principles

ARTICLE 10:

a) Members who will participate in the General Council may enter into the meeting by signing near their names in the “General Council Members Chart” issued by the Board of Directors.  

b) If meeting quorum is met, this shall be recorded in minutes and the meeting shall be adjourned by the chairman of board of directors or any of the members of the board of directors to be assigned by him.  If the quorum for the meeting is not met, this shall be recorded on minutes by the board of directors.  

c) Following the opening, a chairman is elected for chairing the meeting, as well as a deputy chairman and a clerk, who will make up the council of three.  

d) The meeting council chairman shall provide for the management and safety of the meeting.  The draft agenda of the General Council shall be prepared by the Board of Directors.  The council shall open the draft agenda for discussion and votes and finalizes the same by taking into account the amendment recommendations received from the members of the General Council.

e) Every real or legal person representative member has one voting right at the General Council; the members is required to cast his/her vote personally.  

f) Decisions related to the election of members of Board of Directors and Board of Audit, secret voting and other issues shall be held with open voting in the General Council unless any decision is taken otherwise. Secret votes are the votes which are collected after being put into an empty container or box after the papers or ballots sealed by the council head are processed by the members, and which are counted by open pouring following the end of casting the votes.  In the open voting, the method to be determined by the council chair shall be applied.  

g) Issues discussed in the meeting and the decision taken shall be recorded in minutes and shall be cosigned by the council chair.  At the end of the meeting, the minutes and other documents shall be delivered to the council chair.  The council chair shall be responsible from protecting these documents and delivering these to the newly elected board of directors within seven days.

Extraordinary General Council

ARTICLE 11:

a) The General Council shall be called to meet extraordinarily within thirty days by the Board of Directors in conditions which are deemed necessary by the Board of Directors or Audit Board or upon the written request of one fifth of ECZAKDER members.  

b) In case that, despite the written request of one fifth of the members of ECZAKDER, the General Council is not called by the Board of Directors to meet extraordinarily within thirty days, the magistrate shall assign three members to call the General Council to meet upon the application of one of the members.   

c) In extraordinary General Council meeting, only the subject which caused the meeting shall be discussed and resolved; no recommendation shall be made for adding agenda items during the meeting.

Tasks and Authorities of the General Council

Article 12: The duties and authorities of the General Council are listed below:

a) Make decisions in line with the laws and charter provisions;  

b) Discuss and approve the future working period work program as well as budget, income and expense statements;  

c) Determine the entry payment and annual contribution amounts to be received from the members;  

d) Discuss and approve the Board of Directors activity report, balance and income – cost statements and Audit Board report pertinent to the past work period; release the Board of Directors;  

e) Elect the principle and substitute members of the future work period Board of Directors and Audit Board by secret voting;  

f) Discuss and resolve on the recommendation of Board of Directors related to charter amendment;  

g) Take decision on regulations prepared and recommended by the Board of Directors as well as boards which it offers to establish;

h) Authorize the Board of Directors about the purchasing of real estate for ECZAKDER and the selling of the existing real estate;  

i) Take decisions on recommendations made by the Board of Directors in relation to ECZAKDER making international studies, becoming member to national and international organizations or withdrawing from membership of these organizations, as well as cooperation with them, and authorize the Board of Directors on these issues;  

j) Resolve on partnership, establish economic, commercial and industrial enterprise, funds and foundations, or participating in those which are established or to be established;

k) Determine the principles to be used by the Board of Directors to determine any type of allowances, travel allowances and compensations, as well as service allowances to be paid to real and legal persons to be assigned by ECZAKDER, and the amounts of per diems and travel allowances;

l) Resolve on the termination of ECZAKDER, and distribution of its properties;  

m) Examine and resolve other recommendations offered by the Board of Directors and make decision on relevant issues.

Board of Directors

ARTICLE 13:

The Board of Directors shall comprise seven (7) principle and seven (7) substitute members elected by secret voting by the General Council for a period of three years. In case of any vacancy in principle memberships, the substitute members shall be called to duty according to the orders of votes they received in the General Council election. Members of the Board of Directors work under the principle of volunteerism; they shall not receive any daily allowance for Board of Directors membership or Board of Directors meetings they attend.  However, expenditures they incur for realizing an activity to which they are assigned in relation to the Association from the Association budget.

Working Principles of the Board of Directors

Article 14:

a) In the first Board of Directors meeting following the General Council with election; the board shall start working by electing the chairman, deputy chairman, secretary and counting members.

b) Board of Directors shall meet at least four times and when required, it may be called to extraordinary meeting by the chairman of Board of Directors;  

c) Board of Directors meetings shall be opened and continued with the presence of at least four of the members; Decisions shall be taken by unanimous or majority voting of the attendees.  

d) A member who is not present in three consecutive meetings without declaring any excuse shall be deemed to have withdrawn from membership.

e) In case of any vacancy in principle memberships, the substitute members shall be called to duty according to the orders of votes they received in the General Council election.

f) Board of Directors could meet by video conference or teleconference.

Tasks and Authorities of the Board of Directors

Article 15: The duties and authorities of the Board of Directors are listed below:

a) Perform relevant works and processes in line with laws and provisions of the charter, take and implement the decisions;  

b) Implement the decisions taken by the General Council;  

c) Represent ECZAKDER through its chairman, or authorize other members for representation when required;  

d) Prepare working period work program, budget and income – expenditure statements, present these to the approval of the General Council and implement these;  

e) Determine the fees for courses, seminars, trainings, program evaluations, program accreditations, publications etc. which it prepares in line with its purposes;

f) Perform relevant examinations in relation to dismissal of members who are in a status that requires dismissal from membership;

g) Determine the date, time, location and agenda of General Council meetings, announce the same to the members;  

h) Prepare past work period activity report, balance sheet and income -expense charts, and present the same to the General Council;  

i) Carry out works for preparation, amendment and cancellation of directives related to the operation of ECZAKDER and structures, members, elections and working principles of National Pharmacy Training Accreditation Board (ECZAK) and its sub-commissions by taking into account the opinions of ECZAK and relevant parties when required, and present these to the approval of the General Council;

j) When deems necessary, create recommendations in relation to establishing new boards, committees and commissions to operate as ECZAKDER organ in order to fulfill ECZAKDER activities, and present these to the approval of the General Council;  

k) When deems necessary, establish advisory boards, committees, working groups to work in the field of activity of ECZAKDER, and examine and resolve on the reports to be prepared by them;  

l) Assign the staff and consultants to carry out the administrative and financial affairs of ECZAKDER, determine the fees to be paid to these, and terminate their offices when required;  

m) Create recommendations on collaboration with national and international organizations in line with the purposes of ECZAKDER, present these to the approval of the General Council, plan and execute such activities in reliance upon the authority granted by the General Council;  

n) When deems necessary, carry out works in relation to the amendment of ECZAKDER charter, and present this to the approval of the General Council;  

o) Determine any type of allowance, travel allowance, compensation and service procurement fees within the principles set out by the General Council, and pay these to relevant parties;  

p) Resolve on the complaints in relation to the processes of ECZAKDER organs.

Audit Board

ARTICLE 16:

a) Audit Board shall comprise three principle and three substitute members elected by secret voting for a period of three years by the general Council.  

b) A member who is not present in three consecutive meetings without declaring any excuse shall be deemed to have withdrawn from membership.

c) In case of any vacancy in principle memberships, the substitute members shall be called to duty according to the orders of votes they received in the General Council election.

d) Each member in the Audit Board shall be an auditor who has same speech and voting right.

 f) The quorum for Audit Board meeting is two.

g) The duties and authorities of the Audit Board are listed below:

1- Audit at least once a year whether ECZAKDER operates in line with the purpose specified in its charter and with the working issues which are determined to be carried out for realizing these purposes, whether the books, accounts and records are kept in accordance with the regulations, and present the audit results to the Board of Directors in the form of a written report;  

2- When deems necessary or is called to do so, attend the Board of Directors meetings without any voting right, share opinions and thoughts;

3- Present the results of audit, including the individual opinions of each auditor, to the General Council in the form of a jointly signed report.

National Pharmacy Training Accreditation Board and Its Sub-Commissions

Article 17: National Pharmacy Training Accreditation Board and its affiliated sub-commissions shall carry out the works related to evaluation and accreditation of pharmacy training programs of ECZAKDER.  Its abbreviated name is “ECZAK”. The working term of ECZAK and its sub-commissions shall be one elected General Council period. The structure of ECZAK and its sub-commissions, assignment and selection of their members and working principles shall be set out by a directive to be prepared by the Board of Directors and approved by the General Council. In case of any national and international developments, it shall be left to the decision of the Board of Directors to process the necessary issues to the directives and make relevant changes.

Revenues

Article 18 – The revenues of ECZAKDER are listed below:  

a) Entrance fee and annual contributions to be collected from real and legal members;

b) Donations (aids granted as commodities and money to enable ECZAKDER to realize its objectives)

c) Despot interest, repo, treasury bond and similar security incomes;

d) Rental ets. revenues to be obtained from movable and immovable properties;

e) Revenues to be obtained from activities such as course, seminar, training, program evaluation, program accreditation, publication etc. and other ECZAKDER activities;

f) Incomes earned from economic, commercial and industrial enterprises which ECZAKDER establishes, operates and becomes partner in order to acquire the revenue it needs to fulfill its objectives.

g) Other revenues permitted by relevant laws.

The Board of Directors shall be authorized in activities to be carried out for acquiring revenues for ECZAKDER.  These incomes could only be collected in exchange of receipts issued in line with the principles specified in the Associations Law.  The open identity and signature of the person who gives the money and one who collects shall be present on the receipt. The Board of Directors may authorized one or several of its members individually or jointly by a decision to be taken in relation to collecting the revenues, making the expenditures, withdrawing money from the banks etc. This situation shall not relieve the members of Board of Directors from their legal responsibility.

Internal Audit of the Association

Article 19 – Whereas internal audit could be performed in ECZAKDER by the General Council, Board of Directors or Audit Board, it could also be done through independent audit organizations.  The fact that audit is performed by the General Council, Board of Directors or independent audit organizations shall not relieve the Audit Board from its obligation.

Procedures of Borrowing by the Association

Article 20 – ECZAKDER could borrow upon the decisions of the Board of Directors if needed for realizing its purpose and carry out its activities.  This borrowing could be on procurement of goods and services with credit, or it could also be in the form of cash.  However, this borrowing shall not be in amounts which could not be covered by the income sources of ECZAKDER and which could cause ECZAKDER to fall into insolvency.  Revenues approved by the General Council for that year shall no exceed half of its budget, or deferred to new working periods.  The Board of Directors could borrow higher amounts on the basis of projects with the decision of General Council.

Charter Amendment

ARTICLE 21:

Amendment of the statute could be made with the decision of the General Council.  In order to make charter amendment in the general council, 2/3 majority of the members who have the right to join general council shall be sought.  In case that the meeting is postponed due to failing to meet the quorum, no quorum shall be required in the second meeting.  However, number of members participating in this meeting shall not be less than twice the full number of members of board of directors and audit board.  The quorum for charter amendment is 2/3 of the votes of members who participate in the meeting and who have the right to vote.  Status change voting is made openly in the general council.

Lack of Provision

Article 22 – For issues which are not stipulated under this statute, provisions of the Associations Law, Turkish Civil Law and Associations Regulation enacted in reference to these laws as well as provisions of other relevant regulations about associations shall be applied.

Way of Termination of the Association and Liquidation of Its Properties

ARTICLE 23:

ECZAKDER General Council may anytime resolve on the dissolution of ECZAKDER. In order to discuss the issue of termination in the general council, 2/3 majority of the members who have the right to join general council shall be sought.  In case that the meeting is postponed due to failing to meet the quorum, no quorum shall be required in the second meeting.  However, number of members participating in this meeting shall not be less than twice the full number of members of board of directors and audit board.  The quorum required for taking the decision for dissolution shall be 2/3 of the members attending the meeting.  Voting for termination resolution is made openly in the general council.  When the General Council decides for dissolution, the dissolution shall be carried out by the liquidation board comprising the members of Board of Directors. These processes shall start from the date on which general council decision related to termination is taken, or the date on which self-termination condition has become final.  In all transaction during the liquidation process, the expression “Association for Pharmacy Training Programs Evaluation and Accreditation in the Process of Liquidation” shall be used under the name ECZAKDER. The liquidation board is authorized to complete the processes for liquidation of money, properties and rights of ECZAKDER from the beginning to the end in accordance with the regulations.  This board shall first examine the accounts of the association.  During the examination, books, receipt documents, expenditure documents, title deed and bank records and other documents pertinent to the association are determined and its assets and obligations are recorded in minutes.  A call is made to the claimants of the association during the liquidation processes and properties if any shall be converted into cash and paid to claimants.  In case that the association is claimant, the receivables shall be collected.  After the collection of receivables and payment of debts, the remaining money, properties and rights shall be transferred to the place to be determined by the general council.  If no place of transfer is determined in the General Council, these shall be transferred to an association which is the closest to the purposes of ECZAKDER and which has the highest number of members. All processes related to liquidation shall be shown on the liquidation minutes and the liquidation process shall be completed within three months excluding the additional periods granted based on a rightful reason by the administrative officers.  It is necessity that the situation shall be notified in writing within seven days following the liquidation and transfer processes of money, rights and properties of the association, by the liquidation board to the administrative office of the place where association headquarters is located, and that the liquidation minutes is added to such letter.  Members of the final board of directors are obliged to keep the books and documents of the association with the title of the liquidation board.  This task could be assigned to a member of the board of directors.  The period to keep these books and documents is five years.

Provisional Entrance Fee and Annual Contribution

Provisional Article 1: The entry fee for all real and legal members until the first General Council meeting shall be 50 TL, and the annual contribution shall be 120TL.

Transition Period Relations With National Pharmacy Training Accreditation Board and Rules for Transfer

Provisional Article 2:

On the date when the “Association for Pharmacy Training Programs Evaluation and Accreditation” acquires its legal identity, it shall be deemed to have undertaken the following obligations in relation to “National Pharmacy Training Accreditation Board (ECZAK)” which was established in 2011.

a) All activities that were previously carried out by ECZAK shall be deemed to have been done by the Association, all program evaluations that were carried out shall be deemed to have been carried out by the Association and all evaluation reports and competence decisions issued to these programs shall be deemed to have been issued by the Association.  

b) All activities that have been carried out by ECZAK shall be deemed to have been taken over by the Association, and all accreditation demands made to ECZAK shall be deemed to have been made to the Association.  

c) Members who have worked before the incorporation of the Association in ECZAK and its sub-commissions and who are working at the time of incorporation of the Association shall be deemed as members who have worked and are working in the “National Pharmacy Training Accreditation Board” of the Association and its sub-commissions with their same task positions and terms.

d) The ECZAK and its sub-commission members on the date of incorporation of the Association shall work as ECZAK and relevant sub-commission members and they shall carry out these tasks in accordance with ECZAK Directive which is currently being used until the relevant regulation is accepted in the first General Council of the Association.  With the adoption by the General Council and entry into force of the directive related to ECZAK, ECZAK and its sub-commission members shall carry out their tasks in accordance with this regulation.

e) All documents delivered to ECZAK shall be deemed to be delivered to the Association and all correspondence made by ECZAK shall be deemed to be made by the Association.

This charter comprises 23 articles and 2 provisional articles.