With the transition from AIA International Region to AIA International, we can now form Sections. We are working to create four Sections this year – AIA South Korea, AIA Latin America, AIA Southeast Asia, and AIA Taipei. The aim is to formally welcome them at the AIA International Conference in November in Mexico City.
Each of these four regions has a working group and a parallel committee of AIA International board members. We are working closely with AIA National, as forming international Sections poses many issues and challenges not encountered with US-based Sections. AIA South Korea and AIA Taipei will be geographically situated principally in one city, i.e. Seoul and Taipei respectively. In contrast, AIA Latin America and AIA Southeast Asia will be regionally-based Sections like AIA Continental Europe and AIA Middle East. The Country Representative structure will remain in place with the creation of Sections.
A Section is like a Chapter, with the critical difference being that the legal, financial, and administrative functions are done by AIA International rather than the Sections themselves. The Sections will have three executive officers – President, Vice-President, and Secretary, and as many committees, task forces, etc., as they see fit. AIA members residing in the geographic area of the Sections will be assigned to that Section, and their AIA membership will be a three-tier membership that mirrors AIA membership in the domestic US. The three tiers would be AIA National – AIA International – AIA Section. The dues structure for members of the Sections remains unchanged. To the outside world, there will be no visible difference between a Chapter (e.g. AIA United Kingdom or AIA Middle East) and a Section (e.g. AIA Latin America or AIA Taipei). In the future, if there is sufficient critical mass within a Section, they can become a Chapter and take on the legal, financial, and administrative functions required by AIA National.
We see the Section model as providing an enriching means of engagement and networking for our members. We see a considerable expansion of the Section model worldwide in the next several years.
Lester Korzilius, FAIA, RIBA
AIA International Representative to the Strategic Council
lester.korzilius@aiainternational.org
