About Us

The Saudi Heart Association, hereafter called “The Association” is recognized at its premises and may have more chapters in other locations if needed.

The association aims at achieving the following objectives:

• The progression and development of the scientific thinking in the speciality of the Association.
• Giving the opportunity for the workers in the Association to contribute to the scientific development of its fields.
• Enhancing exchange of scientific thinking its fields amongst different institutions and disciplines in the Kingdom and abroad.
• Offering consultation and performing the appropriates studies to improve the level of performance in the fields of the Association in different institutions/disciplines.

The Association will achieve its objectives listed in paragraph 2, by all possible means particularly by:

• Promoting the scientific research and the related topics, published the results of such research, distributing and exchanging them with the related disciplines.
• Holding congresses, symposia and conference to discuss the problems related to its fields.
• Issuing journals, bulletin and letters indicating the results of the research being done in its fields.
• Arranging scientific trips after approval of the appropriate authority.

The following three types of members can be offered:

• Honorary membership: This can be offered to those whom the Association would like to select from those who have contributed financially or mortally supporting its development in a field or another in the Kingdom or abroad. Selection of the honorary members shall be done by voting on nomination of that member by Board of Directors. The Honorary members shall be exempted from any yearly dues. The honorary member may attend the general assembly meeting and its different committees but he will not have a right to vote in decision making or in election.
• Active membership: This can be offered to those who will meet the membership requirements and having a University degree in the field of the Association provided that the member is currently residing in the Kingdom.
• Association membership: This can be offered to those who would like to be affiliated to the Association without being residents in the Kingdom.

The following conditions are stipulated for membership enrolment:

• To have a good record/reputation and to have never committed a crime or disgraceful/unethical act.
• To pay the yearly dues.
• To apply for joining the Association.
• To be endorsed by two active members of the Association.
• The request for active membership shall be discussed by the board of Directors and the request will be not be considered accepted unless a decision has been taken by the Board.

The association membership shall be terminated upon:

• Request of the members to withdraw.
• Unfulfilment of the membership requirement.
• Delinquency for paying the yearly dues after a whole year and after being informed that the dues are deliquent and he should be paying those dues within the last three months of the year pointed to.
• Any activity that would bring professional or financial harm to the Association, which would be decided after full investigation ordered by the Board of Directors and responsibility of the concerned member has been provedn and verified. In any circumstances the membership will not be terminated till the final decision taken by the Board and the members is notified within two weeks of issuing that decision but the member will not retrieve any membership dues, gifts or donations that he gave to the Association.

It is possible to re-grant membership to an ex-member who lost his membership under item 6(c) above after paying his delinquent dues or membership dues for 3 years whatever is least.

The Board of Directors consists of not more than 9 members who will be elected by the general assembly of the Association using secret ballots. The functions of the Board of Directors will be to make decisions and to take actions that would guarantee the proper performance of the Association in its functions and achieving its objectives. Membership of the Board of Directors will be for two years which will be renewable. The Board of Directors will hold a routine meeting once a month at least but emergency meeting(s) may be called upon request of its members or upon a request by 5 members of the general assembly or the president of the Association to discuss the matter which was put up to call for the emergency meeting. No other business will be discussed during such a meeting. The Board of Directors will issue the decisions taken by a majority vote and in case of tie, the President has the right to cast his vote. The decisions of the Board of Directors will not be effective unless they are taken by a majority vote. If a member of the Board fails to attend three meetings of the Board of Directors consecutively without any acceptable reason he is considered to have resigned from the membership. The Board of Directors shall issue the rules and regulations to execute these by-laws and in case of availability of position in the Board of Directors, a new member will be chosen by the Board of Directors subject to the approval by the general assembly.

In addition to what has been stated in these by-laws, the Board of Directors will suggest the annual budget of the Association, prepare the yearly activity, decide each membership dues, its future functions and presenting it to the general assembly at its ordinary meeting for approval.

To be elected by the general assembly for a period of two years renewable once only. The president will be the President of the Association as well. The Vice-president will assist him in his duties and will act as President during his absence. The President will represent the Association in all its formal communications with official and un-official authorities in the Kingdom and abroad.

The General Assembly shall comprise of all eligible members and hold a meeting once a year. The meeting’s agenda shall be prepared by the Board of Directors. The General Assembly may call an emergency meeting upon a request by the Board of Directors or five of its members. The same principle will be followed in the emergency meeting as in the regular meetings for the Board of Directors.

The meeting of the general assembly shall be in order and binding when it is attended by the majority of its members.

The duties of the General Assembly are as follows:

• Issuing the by-laws to conduct the internal affairs of the Association.
• Approving the Association’s annual budget and its accounts.
• Approving the annual report concerning its activities prepared by the Board of Directors.
• Electing the members of the Board of Directors.
• Approving the Annual plan submitted by the Board of Directors.
• Discussing all what to its agenda, watch its members who may request of discuss within the field of the Association, its interests and taking decisions on them.
• Selection of an honorary president of the Association according to the nomination by the Board of Directors.

The general Assembly shall nominate an honorary president after nomination from the Board of Directors. The honorary shall be required to be a public figure to have interests in the Association’s fields. The honorary president shall preside the Association’s meeting which he will attend.

The Association’s main resources are as follows:

• The yearly dues of each member.
• The gains from its publications.
• Registration fees for the courses and programs to be arranged by the Association.
• The grants and donations which the Association will get from the Saudi government or other governments institutions or private organizations subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.
• The Yearly grant to be given by the Scientific Council of the University.

The Board of Directors will nominate from its members a treasure who will be responsible before the Board of Directors for different financial affairs. The Treasurer of the Association will prepare its Budget. The Treasurer will submit his report to the Board of Directors which will ultimately be submitted to the general assembly for its approval.

The Financial year will start from the 1st of the month of Muharram. For control of accounts the same method will be followed as in governmental institutions.

The University financial auditing party will review the treasury and the budget before the end of every financial year and present it to the Board of Directors and ultimate to be presented to the general assembly. The Board of Directors shall review responsibilities for the President, the Vice-president and the Treasurer.

• Until there is formation of different committees, the various functions of the Association will be performed by an adhoc committee formed by the Founders comprising of three members; one of them will be the temporary President.
• b) The functions of this adhoc committee will completely be terminated when the first meeting of the general assembly is held and a new President and the Board of Directors are elected. The temporary president will present to the general assembly at its first meeting a detailed report of the work done by the adhoc committee so far.
• The Association will preserve in its allocation, the necessary files to facilitate conduction of the different functions in itself.
• The President of the Association will represent the Association in all its formal communications with official and unofficial authorities in the Kingdom and abroad.
• Amendments/additions can be accepted upon a decree by the General Assembly.