The International Association of students in Agricultural and related Sciences (IAAS) is an international non-profit and non-governmental student society headquartered in Leuven, Belgium. It was founded in 1957 in Tunis by 8 countries. At the moment it is one of the world's biggest student organizations and one of the leading agricultural student associations. IAAS gathers students studying, majoring or researching in agriculture and related areas like environmental sciences, forestry, food science, landscape architecture etc. Its committees are spread in universities in over 50 countries worldwide.
Activities
The principal aim of IAAS is to promote the exchange of knowledge, information, and ideas among students, and to improve the mutual understanding between countries and cultures. To do this it organizes activities like seminars, working camps, international meetings, exchange weeks, an international exchange program, small-scale development projects.
Every year in July, a member country organizes the Annual Congress, which consists of sessions of the General Assembly and a seminar. During the General Assembly, all decisions affecting the association are discussed during working groups and subsequently voted upon. Furthermore, the participants take the chance of having such an international group to discuss in forums about (agricultural) hot topics together with their fellow students from all over the world. The seminar usually deals with a specific (agricultural) topic and includes excursions, visits, lectures, social activities, and a tour of an area in the organizing country.
Leadership
The main element of IAAS is the National Committees (NC) and Local Committees (LC), groups, and associations of students in universities all over the world working for the association. They organize and run activities like Seminars, Working Camps, Village Concept Projects.
The General Assembly (GA) is the supreme governing authority of the association. It gathers once a year during the Annual Congress and consists of delegates from all the member countries, which are appointed by the National Committees (a). Decisions are taken by voting, with each member country having one vote.
Major positions
President
The task of the President is to represent the Association to its external partners and to ensure that the whole EB functions properly.
Vice President of Finance
The VP of Finances takes care of the finances, grant application and bookkeeping.
Vice President of Communication
The VP of Communication keeps in contact with the members and takes care of communication matters within the association.
Vice President of External Relations
VP of Finances and VP of External Relations work closely together.
Vice President of Exchange
The VP of Exchange is responsible for the coordination of the IAAS Exchange Program. Since 2006 the Exchange Quality Board helps with the task of improving this important activity.
Membership
There are currently members of IAAS in the following countries: Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cote d' Ivoire, Croatia, DRC, Ecuador, Finland France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Indonesia, Italy, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Rwanda, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, United States, India, Zimbabwe and Panama.
Partner organizations
Professional partners
Interfaculty Committee Agraria (ICA), Partner
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Liaison Status
UNESCO, Consultative Status
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Operational Status
Student organization partners
In the frame of the Informal Forum of International Student Organisations (IFISO), IAAS cooperates with other student organizations in the field of project development, fundraising, and strategic planning.
History
IAAS was established in a decade in which nations all over the world were still recovering from the harsh devastation and suffering resulting from the Second World War. However, young people strongly fostered hope for progress, peace and stability. Students in the field of agriculture decided to come together and create a new international student platform by establishing IAAS more than half a century ago 1957 in Tunis, the same year when the Treaty of Rome has been signed to establish the European Community.