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NKF-Ns Rules and Laws

 

(the original Norwegian version is legally binding)

NKF-N’s role is to promote measures that help to protect the artistic and cultural historic objects and safeguard members' interests.

NKF-N aims to:
• Encourage a high professional standard among its members by, for example: working for a good all-round education; spreading knowledge of new literature, practices, etc.; encouraging understanding and solidarity between members.
• Ensure that there is a greater awareness by public and private owners of the necessity of proper conservation-related supervision of art and historical objects. NKF-N aims to organize scientific meetings, seminars and lectures for its members. The different sections of NKF will arrange a Congress every 3 years which rotates between countries.

NKF-N has acceded to and supports:
• The international working definition adopted by the ICOM
• NKF-N is a member of ECCO - the central documents are: ECCO professional guidelines
and the document of Pavia.


§ 1 NKF-N

• Nordic Conservator Association, Norway (NKF-N), is a professional association of conservators working in Norway with the preservation, conservation and restoration of objects of artistic and cultural historic value.

 

§ 2 Purpose

• The purpose of NKF-N is to promote measures that help to protect the artistic and historical objects and safeguard members' common interests.
NKF-N works towards this goal by:
• Encouraging a high professional standard among its members by, for example: working for a good all-round education; spreading knowledge of new literature, practices, etc.; encouraging understanding and solidarity between members.
• Ensuring that there is a greater awareness by public and private owners of the necessity of appropriate conservation-related oversight of art, cultural historic and natural historic objects.

 

§ 3 Ordinary Membership

• Ordinary Membership (full) is open to anyone who has completed conservation professional education, i.e. Bachelor's degree, Master's degree or equivalent (3 or 4 years) at an accredited institution plus one year conservation professional work experience after graduation. Approved conservation professional work experience after graduation must be certified by either a member of the NKF-N at the workplace or the immediate supervisor who can verify the applicant's duties and responsibilities. Applicants with conservation professional work experience after graduation from abroad must provide documentary evidence in the same way.
• Application for ordinary membership must be in writing to the Steering Board by 31st January. The application should include CV and details of the applicant's education and conservation professional work experience after graduation. Copies of certificates and testimonials must be submitted with the application. The applicant’s qualifications are evaluated by the evaluation committee. The Steering Board receives the report from evaluation committee and will present this to the annual meeting. A formal decision is made by majority vote at the annual meeting.
• An applicant who does not meet one or more of the membership requirements may be admitted as a member if special circumstances make it appropriate. The Evaluation committee assesses the applicant's qualifications and makes recommendations to Steering Board. Where uncertainty exists in the processing of the application by the Evaluation Committee, in consultation with the Steering Board, they will seek clarification on the competence of the applicant before making a decision.
• A decision on whether the application is accepted or rejected may be given without explanation. Ordinary Membership entitles use of the acronym NKF-N behind a title.

 

§ 4 Other Membership Categories

• The category of associate member includes private individual and institutional members that support the purpose of NKF-N. These pay a fixed annual fee and receive information about NKF-N's work. This is open to all who wish to support NFK-N in this way.
• The category of associate does not constitute a professional evaluation, cannot be regarded as a qualification for the profession, and must not be confused with full membership. Only those with ordinary membership are entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting.
• Student and senior members pay half of the applicable membership fees. Senior members that have previously held ordinary membership have voting rights at the annual meeting.

 

§ 5 Withdrawal of membership

• Members and associate members who oppose the NKF-N’s purpose may be expelled. This can only be decided by the AGM.
• Members and associate members who have not paid membership fees for the year by 31st December are considered as having resigned from NKF-N until the debt is settled. If a member or associate member decides to leave NKF-N they are required to notify the steering board in writing.

 

§ 6 Steering Board

• NKF-N is headed by a Steering Board consisting of six full members and two deputy members. Three members must be present for a meeting of the Steering Board to be quorate. The Chair person's vote is decisive for equal votes.
• A Chairperson is elected for two years.
• Each committee member is elected for two years.
• Deputies are elected for one year.
If a member of the Steering Board resigns, they are replaced by the first deputy; if a second member resigns they are replaced by the second deputy.
The deputies have voting rights only when they represent a full committee member.
• Committee members choose among themselves the deputy chairperson, secretary, treasurer and membership secretary.
• Chairperson, vice chairperson and secretary represent NKF-N at the Nordic Conservator Association Council meetings.
· The election of all members of the board shall be by simple majority at the annual general meeting. Only members can be elected to the board.

• If there are no candidates for chairperson at the annual general meeting, the following procedure occurs:
• The annual meeting elects the Steering Board of five full members and two deputy members.
• The case is decided by simple majority.
• Members are elected for two years.
• The members choose among themselves the representatives of the Nordic Conservator Association Council meeting.

 

§ 7 Nomination Committee

• Candidates for nomination committee are proposed by the current board. Resigning Steering Board members are preferred as members of the Nomination Committee.
• The Nomination Committee has two members elected by the Annual Meeting.
• The Nomination Committee shall propose candidates for the following positions:
Their recommendations shall be sent to the Steering Board no later than six weeks before the Annual Meeting.
• NKF-Ns Board
• Evaluation Committee
• Auditors

 

§ 8 Voting rights

• Each full member that NKF-N has one vote and is during the general assembly entitled to be represented by another full member if the authorization is submitted to the meeting. Associate member have no voting rights.

 

§ 9 Annual Meeting

• NKF-N's highest authority is the annual general meeting.
• The meeting held at the Steering Board’s decision, usually in the spring. The annual meeting convenes both members and associate members who have paid the annual subscription. Where special circumstances occur, the Steering Board can decide to exclude associate members, individually or as group from the annual general meeting. Notice of annual meeting provided by the Secretary and sent out in good time before the meeting. The meeting agenda and minutes of previous annual meeting will be attached to the notice. Items to be discussed at the annual general meeting shall be presented to the Steering Board no later than 31st January of that year.
• The Steering Board may convene an extraordinary meeting. An extraordinary annual meeting can also be convened if the majority of members demand it.

 

§ 10 Topics for the Annual Meeting

• The following topics shall be addressed at the annual meeting: The annual meeting may appoint honorary members. Honorary members pay no membership fees. Treatment of cases arising in the meeting and not on the agenda will be postponed until the following annual general meeting.
• Treatment of the Steering Board's annual report and accounts for the last fiscal year.
• Election of Chairperson for 2 years.
• Election of five committee members for 2 years.
• Election of two deputy members for 1 year.
• Election of three members of the evaluation committee for 2 years.
• Election of two members to the election committee for 1 year.
• Approval of the annual subscription.

• All the above mentioned matters shall be decided by simple majority.

 

§ 11 Changing of the laws

• Proposed amendment of the laws, or amendments thereof, shall be submitted in writing to the Board by 31st January for it to be treated at the same year's annual general meeting.
• The proposal shall be communicated to members with the meeting notice.
• Amendments are to be ratified at that the Annual meeting.

 

§ 12 Dissolution of NKF-N

• The decision to dissolve/change NKF-N shall be made by 2 / 3 majority of votes.