Governing Council, Committees & Staff

Most Governing Council members, including all members of the Executive Committee, are elected by the fellow and ordinary members of BIPS and serve as trustees of the registered charity and directors of the limited company. They serve for three-year terms, with the possibility of re-election for a second consecutive term, after which they must retire for at least one year.

Other Governing Council members are co-opted to serve in recognition of their specific expertise, for example in business or financial matters, or sit on Council as Honorary Vice Presidents (an emeritus-type role awarded to former BIPS trustees in recognition of their expertise and knowledge of Persianate studies and BIPS’s history).

The scope of Governing Council’s responsibilities is significant. Specifically, the Council determines the general character of the Institute’s activities; approves the topics of any conferences organised by or in conjunction with the Institute; approves the academic and financial relationships with publishers of its publication series and journal; approves the conferment of all awards made, including Fellowships and Prizes; reviews and approves the services and benefits to be provided to Members and the level of subscription to be charged. The Council also establishes financial procedures to safeguard the assets of the Institute, which include approving the Annual Accounts for filing with the Charity Commission and for presentation at the Annual General Meeting. Furthermore, the Council appoints by consensus or majority vote the Chief Executive Officers of the Institute (President, Vice President, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer), the Chairs of the Council’s constituent Committees, and at its discretion, the Council undertakes other tasks that are consonant with the Institute’s aims and the Council’s legal and financial responsibilities.