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ATPS STRUCTURE
Following the ATPS Phase VI Strategic Plan, 2008 – 2012, the ATPS adopts a network management structure to ensure effective identification, implementation, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of its STI capacity building activities in the region. For want of better ways of representing the network management structure in a two dimensional plane, the structure is presented in Figure 1 below:
Each sector of the ATPS organizational structure is discussed briefly below:
THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS
The overall policy-making body of ATPS is the international Board of Directors comprising African and non-African scholars, policymakers and private sector actors. The Board formulates and monitors the implementation of ATPS policies and procedures designed to fulfill the network's objectives. The roles and responsibilities of the ATPS Board of Governors are stipulated in clause 5.1 of the ATPS Human Resource Policies and Procedures Manual, Version 1/2001 Learn More >>
To ensure proactive monitoring and evaluation of the activities of the ATPS, both at the regional and sub-regional levels, the Board membership represent the main sub-regions covered by the ATPS: Southern Africa, Eastern Africa, Western Africa; and the Francophone Africa; and two representatives of the international community Learn More>>.
The ATPS Board operates in respective Board Committees aimed at providing ongoing effective strategic guidance to the ATPS Secretariat and the Network as a whole on core areas of the ATPS activities, including the administration, fundraising and financial control systems, and STI capacity development activities. The Board Committees include: the Executive Administrative Board Committee, the Executive Fundraising and Finance Committee; and the Responsible STI Advisory Committee respectively.
The operational structure of the ATPS Board is shown in Figure 2 below:
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Together, the Executive Board Committees form the ATPS Board of Governors. The ATPS Board of Governors meets twice (November/December and June/July) each year to review and approve annual program of activities and budgets of the organization for each forthcoming year; and review and approve financial and technical progress reports on all program implementation activities of the ATPS for the concurrent year, respectively. At each meeting, the Board of Governors assesses the overall performance of the Network (administrative controls, financial audits, and quality of STI capacity development activities) and provides strategic supervision and guidance to the ATPS Secretariat’s operations accordingly. The Board of Governors also appoints external auditors to audit the accounts of the ATPS to ensure that funds are properly expended and accounted for by the ATPS Secretariat. Other roles and responsibilities of the ATPS Board of Governors can be found in clause 5.1 of the ATPS Human Res ource Policies and Procedures Manual, Version 1/2001 Learn More >>
In addition to the two meetings of the ATPS Board of Governors each year, each Executive Board Committee ensures proactive and dynamic engagement with the ATPS Regional Secretariat and the National Chapters for ongoing/continuous supervision, monitoring and evaluation of the core activities of the ATPS Network throughout the year. The Executive Administrative Board Committee which is chaired by the overall Chair of the ATPS Board of Governors is responsible for providing continuous strategic direction for the overall management and administrative activities of the Network both at the Regional Secretariat and national chapter levels. The Executive Director reports to the Executive Board Committee on all maters regarding the administration of the Network arising before the general meetings of the ATPS Board of Governors. The Executive Fundraising and Finance Board Committee is responsible for providing strategic direction to the ATPS Secretariat o n fundraising and financial controls for all Network activities, both at the regional secretariat and national chapter levels. Chaired by an elected member of the ATPS Board of Governors, the Executive Fundraising and Finance Board Committee assists the ATPS Secretariat in raising necessary funding for the activities of the Network at the regional and national chapter levels. The Committee is also responsible for supervising the Secretariat to ensure cost-effective and transparent utilization of ATPS resources, and recommends the appointment of External Auditors to audit the accounts of the ATPS on specific program activities as the need arises. The committee also provides strategic supervision of all aspects of ATPS financial management and control systems.
RESPONSIBLE STI ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Unlike the other Executive Board committees, membership of the Responsible STI Advisory Committee is not restricted to the ATPS Board of Governors. The committee which acts mainly in an advisory capacity includes delegates from the ATPS Board of Governors and a selected number of invited international STI experts. Delegates of the ATPS Secretariat and the ATPS National Chapters also sit on the committee in ex-officio capacity to ensure effective communication between the committee and the ATPS Network.
The ATPS Responsible STI Committee advices the Secretariat Management Committee (SMC) to develop the content of the ATPS STI capacity building activities and provides quality assurance for all ATPS program activities, publications and other knowledge valorization via the electronic media. Specific tasks of the ATPS STI Advisory Committee include:
- To input into discussions on the future direction of the ATPS through periodic e-mail discussions with the ATPS Board and the rest of the committee membership.
- To help to develop the content of the ATPS STI capacity building activities by helping the ATPS to connect with key STI knowledge communities and by encouraging leading STI policy actors (researchers, policy makers, and practitioners) to participate in the activities of the ATPS, and
- To guarantee the quality of the ATPS program implementation, publications and other knowledge valorization activities by occasionally acting as a referee and/or by suggesting suitable referees for country activity proposals and ATPS publications.
Whilst the ATPS hopes that the Responsible STI Advisory Committee would actively support the ATPS' STI capacity building effort, we are very conscious of the numerous demands on the committee members' time and cost effectiveness of maintaining their advisory roles for the ATPS. The Committee is therefore expected to discharge its duties to the ATPS via e-mail discussions, occasional teleconferencing, video conferencing and request for nominations of referees of ATPS submissions when needed. Where possible, members of the Advisory committee would themselves be requested to referee ATPS proposals, publications and policy intervention plans which fall in their core areas of expertise. ATPS expects to receive special guidance from Committee members on emerging STI policy issues that the ATPS should pursue.
All committee members will be invited to participate in the ATPS annual conferences and annual general meetings which normally take place in November/December each year. They will also receive free copies of all ATPS publications, and receive regular updates on all ATPS activities. The Committee is chaired by an elected member of the ATPS Board of Governors to ensure that the ATPS Board is fully engaged in, and aware of the advice provided by the committee to the ATPS Secretariat Learn More >>
THE SECRETARIAT
ATPS has an independent and dynamically evolving Secretariat with staff to provide executive direction, administrative implementation and physical infrastructure to the network.
The Secretariat is led by a Secretariat Management Committee (SMC) chaired by the Executive Director. The SMC comprises the Executive Director (ED); Director of Research, Training and Communications (DRTC); Finance and Administration Manager (FAM); the Research, Training and Communications Leader (RTCL), the Senior Communications and Outreach Officer (SCOO), the STI Policy/National Chapter Liaison Officer (STIP/NCLO); and the Senior Secretary/Programs Administrative Assistant (SSPAS) who is also the Secretary to the SMC. Other Secretariat staff comprises STI Professionals, Science Communication and Information Technology Experts and administrative support staff.
The SMC, chaired by the ED provides strategic intellectual and administrative direction to the regional activities of the ATPS, in liaison with the ATPS National Coordinators’ Regional Steering Committee. The SMC meets once every month to review the activities of the Network for effective continuous monitoring and control and inputs into the management decisions that the ED may wish to implement. Where the SMC fail to reach a consensus on specific management decision, the ED shall consult with the Executive Administrative Board Committee accordingly and/or use his discretion as per the provisions of the ATPS Human Resource Policies and Procedures Manual, Version 1/2001 Learn More >>
The operational line management structure of the ATPS Secretariat is shown in Figure 3. The new less hierarchical structure of the Secretariat Line management followed the decision no. 12.9.2.3 of the 12th ATPS Board meeting dated 28 June 2007 which required a more network-style organogram for the ATPS Secretariat following the recommendations of the ATPS regional Secretariat SWOT analyses conducted on 22 June 2007. The specific terms of reference for each position are held at the ATPS Secretariat Finance and Administration Department.
ACRONYMS
- ED—Executive Director (Board appointed)
- DRTC—Director of Research Training & Communications (Board appointed)
- RTCL—Research Training and Communications Leader
- SCOO—Senior Communications and Outreach Officer
- FAM—Finance and Admin Manager
- SSPAS—Senior Secretary/Programs Administrative Assistant
- SROs—Senior Research Officers
- ROs—Research Officers – Pre- or Post Doctorates
- COOs—Communications Officers
- STIP/NCLO—STI Policy / National Chapter Liaison Officer
- AO—Accounts Officer
- ITA—Information Technology Assistant
- AAR—Administrative Assistant/ Receptionist
- DM—Driver/Messenger
- RAs/Interns—Research Assistants/Student Internships
Figure 3 is a network diagram and hence positions on the network diagram do not reflect any form of hierarchy. Each staff has an “activity space” and terms of reference within which he/she operates and reports to the assigned Line Manager(s) for effective supervision, mentoring and management controls.
The Executive Director (ED), subject to the general direction and control of the ATPS Board or Governors, is ultimately responsible for the direction of affairs and transactions of the organization, the exercise, discharge and performance of its objectives, functions and duties, and the administration and control of employees of the organization. He/she reports directly to the ATPS Board of Directors, and in liaison with the National Coordinator’s Regional Steering Committee, he/she supervises the implementation, monitoring and controls of all ATPS activities in the national chapters. In administering his/her duties, the ED takes Instructions/Directives and strategic guidance from the ATPS Board of Governors; professional advice from the Responsible STI Advisory Committee, and takes management decisions in close consultation with the Secretariat Management Committee (SMC). Details on the roles and responsibilities of the ATPS Executive Director can be found in clause 5.2 of the ATPS Human Resource Policies and Procedures Manual, version 1/2001 (Learn More). Similarly, the roles and responsibilities of other budget holders (Secretariat management Staff) and the Finance and Administration Manager and are specified in clauses 5.3 and 5.4 of the ATPS Human Resource Policies and Procedures Manual, version 1/2001. Learn More >>
ATPS NATIONAL CHAPTERS REGIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE (ATPS-NCRSC)
The ATPS-NCRSC comprises elected representatives of the regions covered by the ATPS in sub-Saharan Africa including the Western, Eastern, Southern, and Francophone regions. The committee serves as a liaison between the National Chapters and the Secretariat with the primary goal of proactively engaging the Secretariat in developing, monitoring and coordinating the STI capacity building activities of the ATPS chapters in each region. Each committee member represents a constituency of ATPS national chapters in his/her region. Members of the ATPS-NCRSC meet with the ATPS Board and the ATPS Secretariat annually during the ATPS annual conferences and workshops to participate in the review of the activities of the ATPS at the regional and sub-regional levels Learn more>>
NATIONAL CO-ORDINATORS
Each National Chapter Coordinator provides intellectual and administrative leadership for ATPS activities in his/her country. The Secretariat liaises with national chapters to raise funds for carrying various STI capacity building activates at the country levels. The national chapters liaises with relevant STI Ministries, Knowledge Institutions and Private Sector Actors in their country to identify and prioritize STI capacity building needs at the country level. These identified needs inform the overall regional strategic plan of the ATPS for each strategic phase, usually covering a four year period. Each chapter provides national strategic plans outlining priority areas of STI research, training and capacity building, and science communication in their various countries each year. These identified short term priority areas guide the research, training/capacity building and science communication implementation activities of ATPS at both regional and country levels. The chapters are encouraged to register as None Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in their country to increase visibility and impact. They are also encouraged to fundraise to support national activities from national organizations, national governments, etc. Current membership of the ATPS covers 23 countries in sub-Saharan Africa Learn more>>
THE EXPERT CONSULTANTS (RESOURCE PERSONS)
The Expert Consultants provide intellectual guidance and methodology training for each thematic research program. These consultants also ensure that the science quality of the research and training carried out under ATPS thematic programs are of international standard and provide capacity building and mentoring support to ATPS researchers.
ATPS Members
Membership of the ATPS is held at the national chapter levels. Membership comprises policymakers, NGOs, consultants, research organizations and private sector actors. Two forms of membership are encouraged: institutional membership and individual membership. For details on membership requirements, contact info@atpsnet.org.
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