ASPHER Finances and Organisation of Secretariat Anders Foldspang Deans’ and Directors’ Retreat Friday 25 May 2007 Bucharest, Romania

ASPHER Finances and Organisation of Secretariat Incentives for change Two incentives for change: The wish to move to Brussels The economic incentive

ASPHER Finances and Organisation of Secretariat The wish to move to Brussels Two incentives for moving to Brussels: Proximity to the EU administration, including the DG-SANCO Proximity to other PH organisations now and in the future

ASPHER Finances and Organisation of Secretariat Brussels: Proximity to other PH organisations Other PH organisations plan to or wish to move to Brussels – or they are already there If and when they move, they would like to share premises Some would even consider centralising in a ’House of Public Health’

ASPHER Finances and Organisation of Secretariat Brussels: Can we find premises, which we can afford? Probably.

ASPHER Finances and Organisation of Secretariat Incentives for change: The economic incentive History Premises and staff paid by the French State until August 2005 Strategy to keep the present administration unanimously supported by General Assemblies and EBs: –Two large projects have been established which transfer resources into ASPHER –A seies of attempts to attract further external resources unsuccesful (e.g., Core Competencies Project) –Members only partly supportive of fee increase of 50% needed to keep up administrative tradition – provided 25% of all costs were met by external resources

ASPHER Finances and Organisation of Secretariat Incentives for change: The economic incentive History Shift in strategy by EB decision April-May 2007 – within 2007: –To move to Brussels and –To make ASPHER economically self-supportive based on membership fees

ASPHER Finances and Organisation of Secretariat Incentives for change: The economic incentive Philosophy of strategy Aim: To make ASPHER economically self- supportive based on membership fees only: –Core staff –Core activities Project activities: Based on external money – like at present Time frame: To be realised during autumn 2007

ASPHER Finances and Organisation of Secretariat Incentives for change: The economic incentive What can we not afford: To carry on like now without a 100% fee increase * No stocks left by end of 2008, if we just carry on _______ * Moderate support for a 50% increase!

ASPHER Finances and Organisation of Secretariat Incentives for change: The economic incentive Based on a series of forecasts, based on information from our accountant: What we can afford based on a moderate fee increase: 1.A full-time association manager - but at 15-20% lower salary than our present director 2.A ½-time association manager (salaried as above) and a ½-time secretary (approx. same salary level as today) 3. A full-time secretary (same salary level as today) (1) and (2) may be relevant for the present situation - (2) especially in collaboration with other associations

ASPHER Finances and Organisation of Secretariat Brussels: The process of moving Black horses inherent in the process: Costs of, e.g.: –Legal advice in Paris and Brussels –Making staff redundant –Accountancy; de-registration and registration –Premises Attracting new staff Practical moving process

ASPHER Finances and Organisation of Secretariat A model for the organisation of the secretariat A junior academic association manager, with a degree in, e.g.: –Public Health –Political science –Economy In office for 1 year, which may be extended to a maximum of 3 years Clearer management roles: More weight on the role of the president, the vice president, the secretary treasurer and other EB members Attractive career situation for a young academic?

ASPHER Finances and Organisation of Secretariat A future model for the organisation of the secretariat Sharing staff and premises with other PH organisations Staff, e.g. fulltime manager, ½-time secretary

ASPHER Finances and Organisation of Secretariat Epilogue We are grateful for the years, when the French State paid basic secretariat costs – it was, from an economic point of view, a situation of innocent Paradise

ASPHER Finances and Organisation of Secretariat Epilogue We are grateful for the contribution of our staff during all those years – to the development of professionalisation of PH in Europe

ASPHER Finances and Organisation of Secretariat Epilogue We regret that we will no longer be able to keep the present organisational and financial structure

ASPHER Finances and Organisation of Secretariat Epilogue We are however confident that - based on reorganisation – we will be able to develop a cost-effective and creative association for the sustainment of professionalisation of Public Health work in Europe…

ASPHER Finances and Organisation of Secretariat What do you think? Comments, please! Thank you for your attention!