Conference booklet - Baltic University Programme

current meetings of the Programme. The board is meetingeach fall and spring, and centres directors are alsomeeting twice a year. Also the mentors and mentors assistantshave yearly meetings. In several of the teachersnetworks, the mentor and some key teachers meet regularlyto agree on organisational matters.2.4 Baltic University Programme National CentresThe size of the network of universities has made it practicallyimpossible for the Secretariat in Uppsala to keepcontacts with each of them individually. Some universities,which early on assumed coordinating roles in theirrespective countries, in 1994-95 formally became nationalBUP centres. Contracts regarding the centres aresigned with the universities hosting them. The presentcentres with their hosting universities and appointed directorsare listed in Table 3. The centre directors meettwice a year for the planning and development of theProgramme.The centres have a key role in the programme byserving a number of functions:• distributing information on the BUP in theirrespective countries;• announcing and recruiting participants toteachers conferences, student activities and otherevents;• storing and distributing material for courses:books, booklets, and video cassettes;• organising events, such as teachers conferencesand student activities• in many cases also being participants in projectsor organising their own projects• providing the Secretariat with statistics andinformation on BUP courses, teachers etc.• organise national BUP teachers’ meetings.Despite only very minimal support from the hostuniversities and the Programme, the centres have beenvery impor-tant for the Programme in their respectivecountries. This has to a large extent been due to personalinvolvement of a few key individuals especially the directors,much good will and voluntary work. Still, witha few remarkable exceptions, the centres have been tooweak to pursue all the functions needed. In some placessuch as in Lodz in Poland and St Petersburg in NorthWest Russia the centres are comparatively well staffed,supported by the hosting university. In other cases thecentres have during periods been working well due tostudent participation.It is clear that most of the centres have a weak position.Some centres had very little resources, and all of themhave weak financing. To make the centre organisation efficientresources have to be considerably improved.2.5 The network of universities, teachers and studentsDuring the first years some 100 universities were activein the Programme. After 1997/98 the number grewTable 1. Baltic University Programme International BoardPositionSpecification1. Chair Uppsala University2. Vice-chair Uppsala University3. Member Uppsala University4. Member Uppsala University5. Member Other Swedish University (presently Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences)6. Member Representative of Swedish society (presently a Member of Parliament)7. Member Representative of Swedish society (presently a former Minster of planning)8. Member/Turku Åbo Akademi University nomination9. Member/Poland Polish, Center meeting nomination10. Member/CEE Non-Polish CEE, Center meeting nomination11. Student member CEMUS (Uppsala University) nomination (1 year)12. Student member BUP international student parliament (1 year)Table 2. Positions at the Coordination Secretariat 2006Position Percentage of full time Gender Academic title1. Director 100 % M Prof.2. Vice-director 100 % F MAgr.3. Economy and network manger 100 % F MA, Econ4. Economy and personnel assistant 100 % M MA5. Publication manager 100 % M MA6. Graphics manager 80 % F MA7. Website manager 50 % M Dr