Charter of the Taiwan Young Science Development Association

Filed for reference by the Ministry of the Interior (Letter Tai-Nei-Tuan-Zi No. 1140285860, August 2025).

This English text is an unofficial translation for reference only; the Chinese version prevails.

Chapter I　General Provisions

Article 1　The name of this Association is the Taiwan Young Science Development Association (hereinafter "the Association").

Article 2　The Association is a legally established, non-profit public-interest social organization whose purpose is to promote the scientific development of young people in Taiwan.

Article 3　The tasks of the Association are as follows, to be promoted and carried out in accordance with relevant laws and regulations:

1. To give young people in Taiwan fair access to academic and research resources.
2. To promote the opening and circulation of university academic resources to young people.
3. To raise young people's scientific literacy and interest.
4. To deepen young people's understanding of scientific research.
5. To help young people interested in science receive better scientific training.
6. To help young people engaged in scientific research obtain better research resources.

Article 4　The competent authority of the Association is the Ministry of the Interior; the Association's activities are subject to the guidance and supervision of the respective competent authorities of those activities.

Article 5　The Association's organizational area is the entire national administrative territory.

Article 6　The Association's address shall be located within the jurisdiction of the competent authority, and branches may be established with the approval of the competent authority. The organizational rules of such branches shall take effect after being adopted by the general assembly of members (member representatives) and approved by the competent authority. The addresses of the Association and its branches shall be reported to the competent authority for record upon establishment and upon any change.

Chapter II　Members, Directors and Supervisors

Article 7　The members of the Association and membership dues are classified as follows:

• Individual members: Anyone who endorses the Association's purpose and is enthusiastic about contributing, completes an application form, is approved by the board of directors after review, and pays the dues becomes an individual member; entrance fee NT$500, paid upon joining; annual dues NT$1,000.
• Student members: Persons under 25 years of age with student status who endorse the Association's purpose and are enthusiastic about contributing, complete an application form, are approved by the board of directors after review, and pay the dues become student members; entrance fee NT$200, paid upon joining; annual dues NT$500.
• Teacher members: Holders of a Republic of China teacher's certificate who endorse the Association's purpose and are enthusiastic about contributing, complete an application form, are approved by the board of directors after review, and pay the dues become teacher members; entrance fee NT$400, paid upon joining; annual dues NT$800.
• Group members: Any institution or organization that endorses the Association's purpose, completes an application form, is approved by the board of directors after review, and pays the dues becomes a group member; a group member appoints one representative to exercise membership rights; entrance fee NT$5,000, paid upon joining; annual dues NT$10,000.
• Supporting members: Individuals or organizations that endorse the Association's purpose and provide funding or resources to it, complete an application form, and are approved by the board of directors after review become supporting members.

Article 8　Members (member representatives) have the right to vote, to elect, to be elected and to recall. Each member (member representative) has one vote. Supporting members do not have the rights stated in the preceding paragraph.

Article 9　The directors and supervisors of the Association serve a term of 4 years.

Article 10　The Association has 9 directors (including 3 executive directors, one of whom is the Chair) and 2 alternate directors. The executive directors are elected by the directors from among themselves. The Chair is elected by all directors from among the executive directors.

Article 11　The Association has 3 supervisors (one of whom is the executive supervisor) and 1 alternate supervisor. The board of supervisors has an executive supervisor, elected by the supervisors from among themselves, who oversees day-to-day affairs and serves as chair of the board of supervisors.

Article 12　Members have the duty to abide by the Association's charter and resolutions and to pay membership dues. A member who has not paid dues may not enjoy membership rights; a member who has not paid dues for 3 consecutive years is deemed to have withdrawn voluntarily. A member who has left, withdrawn or been suspended and who wishes to apply for reinstatement of membership or rights shall pay all previously owed dues, unless there is a justifiable reason approved by the board of directors after review.

Article 13　If a member (member representative) violates laws or the charter, or fails to comply with resolutions of the general assembly, the board of directors may resolve to issue a warning or suspension; if the harm to the Association is serious, the general assembly may resolve to expel the member.

Article 14　A member ceases to be a member in any of the following cases:

1. Death.
2. Loss of membership eligibility.
3. Expulsion by resolution of the general assembly of members (member representatives).

Article 15　A member may withdraw from the Association by giving written notice stating the reasons.

Chapter III　Organization and Powers

Article 16　The general assembly of members is the Association's highest authority. When the number of members (member representatives) exceeds 300, member representatives may be elected proportionally by region and a general assembly of member representatives convened, exercising the powers of the general assembly of members. The term of member representatives is the same as that of directors and supervisors; their number and election rules shall be adopted by the board of directors before taking effect, and reported to the competent authority for record.

Article 17　The powers of the general assembly of members (member representatives) are as follows:

1. To establish and amend the charter.
2. To elect and recall directors and supervisors.
3. To resolve the amount and method of entrance fees, annual dues, program fees and member donations.
4. To resolve annual work plans, reports, budgets and final accounts.
5. To resolve on the expulsion of members (member representatives).
6. To resolve on the sale, transfer or creation of other rights over property.
7. To resolve on the dissolution of the Association.
8. To resolve other major matters concerning members' rights and obligations.

The scope of the major matters in item 8 of the preceding paragraph shall be determined by the board of directors.

Article 18　The directors and supervisors of the Association are elected by the members (member representatives), and form the board of directors and the board of supervisors respectively. In electing directors and supervisors, alternate directors and alternate supervisors may be elected at the same time according to the vote count, and shall fill vacancies in order when a director or supervisor position becomes vacant. The board of directors may propose a reference list of candidates for the next term of directors and supervisors. Directors and supervisors may be elected by correspondence voting; the correspondence voting rules shall be adopted by the board of directors before taking effect, and reported to the competent authority for record.

Article 19　The Chair oversees the Association's affairs internally, represents the Association externally, and serves as chair of the general assembly and of the board of directors. When the Chair cannot perform duties for some reason, the Chair shall designate one executive director to act on their behalf; if none is designated or one cannot be designated, the executive directors shall nominate one among themselves to act. When the position of Chair or of an executive director becomes vacant, a by-election shall be held within one month.

Article 20　The powers of the board of directors are as follows:

1. To review and determine the qualifications of members (member representatives).
2. To elect and recall executive directors and the Chair.
3. To resolve on the resignations of directors, executive directors and the Chair.
4. To hire and dismiss staff.
5. To draft annual work plans, reports, budgets and final accounts.
6. To propose a reference list of candidates for the next term of directors and supervisors.
7. Other matters to be carried out.

Article 21　When the executive supervisor cannot perform duties for some reason, they shall designate one supervisor to act on their behalf; if none is designated or one cannot be designated, the supervisors shall nominate one among themselves to act. When the position of chair of the board of supervisors (executive supervisor) becomes vacant, a by-election shall be held within one month.

Article 22　The powers of the board of supervisors are as follows:

1. To oversee the execution of the work of the board of directors.
2. To audit the annual final accounts.
3. To elect and recall the executive supervisor.
4. To resolve on the resignations of supervisors and the executive supervisor.
5. Other matters requiring supervision.

Article 23　Directors and supervisors serve without pay and may be re-elected. The term of directors and supervisors begins on the date the first board of directors meeting of the current term is convened.

Article 24　A director or supervisor shall be removed immediately in any of the following cases:

1. Loss of membership (member representative) status.
2. Resignation for cause approved by resolution of the board of directors or the board of supervisors.
3. Recall or removal.
4. Suspension lasting longer than half of the term of office.

Article 25　The Association has one Secretary-General, who handles the Association's affairs under the direction of the Chair, and a number of other staff, who are hired and dismissed after approval by the board of directors. The staff mentioned in the preceding paragraph may not be directors or supervisors. The duties of the staff and the delegation of responsibilities shall be separately established by the board of directors.

Article 26　The Association may establish committees, working groups or other internal operating bodies; their organizational rules take effect after being adopted by the board of directors, and likewise upon amendment.

Article 27　The board of directors may appoint one honorary chair and a number of honorary directors and advisors, whose terms are the same as those of the directors and supervisors.

Chapter IV　Meetings

Article 28　General assemblies of members (member representatives) are of two kinds, regular and extraordinary, convened by the Chair; except for extraordinary meetings in an emergency, all persons required to attend shall be notified 15 days in advance. A regular meeting is held once a year; an extraordinary meeting is held when the board of directors deems it necessary, upon request by one fifth or more of the members (member representatives), or upon request by letter from the board of supervisors. After the Association completes juridical-person registration, an extraordinary meeting shall be held upon request by one tenth or more of the members (member representatives). General assemblies of members (member representatives) may be convened by video conference or other methods announced by the central competent authority, with sign-in and voting handled in accordance with the functions of the electronic equipment; however, matters involving elections, by-elections or recalls shall be conducted in person.

Article 29　When a member (member representative) cannot attend the general assembly in person, they may authorize another member (member representative) in writing to act as proxy; each member (member representative) may act as proxy for only one person.

Article 30　Resolutions of the general assembly of members (member representatives) require the attendance of more than half of the members (member representatives) and are adopted with the consent of more than half, or of a plurality, of those present. However, resolutions on the following matters require the consent of two thirds or more of those present:

1. Establishment and amendment of the charter.
2. Expulsion of members (member representatives).
3. Recall of directors and supervisors.
4. Disposal of property.
5. Dissolution of the Association.
6. Other major matters concerning members' rights and obligations.

After the Association completes juridical-person registration, amendment of the charter requires the consent of three quarters or more of those present, or the written consent of two thirds or more of all members; the Association may be dissolved at any time by a vote of two thirds or more of all members.

Article 31　The board of directors and the board of supervisors shall each meet at least once every 6 months, and joint meetings or extraordinary meetings may be convened when necessary. Except for extraordinary meetings, all persons required to attend shall be notified 7 days in advance; resolutions of each board are adopted with the attendance of more than half of the directors or supervisors, and the consent of a plurality of those present.

Article 32　Directors shall attend meetings of the board of directors and supervisors shall attend meetings of the board of supervisors; attendance by proxy is not permitted for either board. Meetings of the board of directors, the board of supervisors and joint meetings may be convened by video conference or other methods announced by the central competent authority; directors and supervisors attending by video conference are deemed to be attending in person, with sign-in and voting handled in accordance with the functions of the electronic equipment; however, matters involving elections, by-elections or recalls shall be conducted in person. A director or supervisor who is absent from board meetings 2 consecutive times without cause is deemed to have resigned.

Chapter V　Funds and Accounting

Article 33　The Association's funds come from the following sources:

1. Entrance fees.
2. Annual dues.
3. Program fees.
4. Member donations.
5. Commissioned income.
6. Funds and the interest thereon.
7. Other income.

Article 34　The Association's fiscal year follows the calendar year, from January 1 to December 31. Before the start of each fiscal year, the board of directors shall prepare the annual work plan and the revenue-and-expenditure budget; within 3 months after the end of the year, the board of directors shall prepare the previous year's work report and accounting report and send them to the board of supervisors for audit, and the board of supervisors shall draw up an audit opinion and return it to the board of directors; together with the current year's work plan and revenue-and-expenditure budget, these shall be submitted to the general assembly of members (member representatives) for adoption and then reported to the competent authority for record. If the general assembly cannot be held on schedule for some reason, they may first be adopted by the board of directors and the board of supervisors, or at a joint meeting, and then submitted to the general assembly for ratification before being reported to the competent authority for record.

Article 35　After the Association's dissolution, its remaining property shall belong to the local self-governing body of its location or to an agency or organization designated by the competent authority. For the appointment of liquidators and the liquidation procedures upon dissolution: if the Association has completed juridical-person registration, they shall be handled in accordance with the Civil Code unless otherwise provided by law; if it has not, they shall be handled according to the resolution of the general assembly of members (member representatives), and if the general assembly cannot reach a resolution, the Chair shall serve as liquidator and the liquidation provisions of the Civil Code shall apply mutatis mutandis.

Chapter VI　Supplementary Provisions

Article 36　Matters not provided for in this charter shall be handled in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.

Article 37　This charter takes effect after adoption by the general assembly of members (member representatives) and filing with the competent authority for record; the same applies to amendments.

Article 38　This charter was adopted at the first general assembly of the first term of the Association on October 4, 2025 (ROC year 114).