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ACA hosted, like most associations these days, its autumn General Assembly in an online format, on 26 and 27 November 2020, in line with COVID-19 related restrictions in place in many countries. The meeting was presided over by ACA President Ulrich Grothus.
In additional to the typical agenda items (membership fees, exchange of updates from member organisations and reports on progress), the meeting featured two important highlights – elections of 4 ACA Administrators, including the ACA Vice-President and President – and an in-depth discussion and planning of the 2021 Work programme and budget, for the first time under the directorship of Irina Ferencz, and marking a new period of innovation.
Olivier Tschopp (2nd term), Director of Movetia, Switzerland, Runa Vigdís Guðmarsdóttir, incoming Director (1 January 2021) of the Erasmus+ National Agency within Rannis, Iceland and Dr. Stephan Geifes, Director of the Erasmus+ National Agency within DAAD were elected as members of ACA’s Administrative Council for the coming 3 years. Dana Petrova, Director of DZS, Czech Republic, was also elected for a 2nd term in the AC, and for a 1st term as ACA’s Vice-President. Last but not least, Ulrich Grothus was re-elected for a 2nd term as ACA President, in unanimity.
On this occasion, the ACA President, ACA members and the Secretariat expressed they deepest vote of thanks to outgoing Vice-President, Katrin Kiisler, of the Archimedes Foundation, Estonia, as well as to AC members, Dr. Christian Müller, Deputy Secretary General of the DAAD and Péter Tordai, former director of the Tempus Public Foundation, Hungary, for their outstanding contributions, support and leadership in the association.
Following the elections, the 2021 Work programme and budget were discussed in greater details and were warmly endorsed by the membership. The next year will mark a period of thematic innovations for the association, as well as a new stage of working more closely within the association for further professional development, for joint policy and programme making, and for wider external visibility and impact.
Amongst the many new activities, ACA will run a series of five Thematic Peer Groups (TPGs) with ACA member organisations throughout the year, with external expert input, when needed, in the following areas:
The ACA General Assembly concluded with the opportunity for members to socialise informally in the ACAfé, a virtual space for networking that will be used in the future also for public events.