APMAA Annual
Conference Policy and Mission
APMAA is a “members-first”
organization, and our annual conferences are the central
platform that brings together our members. All members are
potential contributors and key participants in these
conferences.
It is the
responsibility of every conference organizer to design programs
and schedules that are "of the members," "by the members," and
"for the members." Academic Paper sessions should be the
heart of all APMAA conferences. This principle is a cornerstone
of our policy and a key expectation set by the Board for all
conference organizers.
As an international
academic association based in Asia, one of APMAA's key missions
is to provide regional researchers with an accessible platform
to share their research with colleagues from around the world.
Our reviewers do more than simply assess the quality of
submissions, as seen in other established conferences like those
organized by the AAA; we also serve as facilitators, helping to
develop each other’s research competence. This collaborative
approach is central to APMAA's mission.
Rationale for
Introducing a Quality Control Function
We have observed
significant variability in the quality of papers submitted to
APMAA’s parallel sessions, ranging from exceptional work that
could be published in top-tier academic journals, to papers with
considerable deficiencies in both content and writing style.
To ensure that the
research presented at our annual conferences is honest,
accurate, and reliable, APMAA must implement effective quality
control. However, each year, conference organizing teams and
paper review teams (local scientific committees) vary in
experience, skill level, and commitment. To address this, APMAA
established the “Scientific Committee at Headquarters” in 2018,
which was later reorganized into the Quality Control
Committee in 2020. This committee plays a vital role in
both pre- and post-conference audits to uphold the quality of
the proceedings.
Reorganization of the
Scientific Committee into the Quality Control Committee
The Scientific
Committee at Headquarters was initially created to assist local
conference teams in maintaining the integrity and reliability of
the manuscripts included in the proceedings. In 2020, this
committee was restructured into the Quality Control
Committee, with an expanded role that includes
conducting annual audits before and after each conference.
The Quality
Control Committee is tasked with ensuring that
conference programs and schedules align with APMAA’s mission and
policies. The APMAA Board requests that all conference
organizers use the Model Program and Schedule
developed on December 11, 2019, as a framework. This model was
created to ensure consistency and alignment with APMAA’s
conference policy, which has been a key element in maintaining
uniformity across conferences and organizing teams.
Auditing Role of the
Quality Control Committee
The Quality Control
Committee's audit functions focus on:
-
Appropriateness of the conference program and schedule
in alignment with APMAA's policy and mission.
-
Appropriateness of the local organizing team’s structure and
function.
All approved conference
organizing teams are required to submit their conference plans
and supporting materials to the Quality Control Committee upon
request. The committee then reviews the materials and reports
back to the Board Chair with a brief audit report. Additionally,
the committee provides support in preparing for the “Next
Conference Organizers Meeting.”
Expectations for
Conference Organizing Teams
Conference organizing
team Chairs are expected to report on their progress regularly
to the Board Chair. Any official releases or publications
using the APMAA name must receive prior approval from the Board
Chair. This system has been instrumental in building and
maintaining trust within the academic community, and it has been
a key driver of APMAA’s growth over the past decade.
2020 Quality
Control Committee
Head:
Representative director
Co-heads:
President and vice presidents
Members:
Chairs and key members of conference organizing teams (APMAA
2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023)
(note
1)
http://s-ueno.sakura.ne.jp/APMAA_asia/To_APMAA_Conference_Organizers_.htm
http://s-ueno.sakura.ne.jp/APMAA_2018_Tokyo/Conference%20Program_.htm
http://s-ueno.sakura.ne.jp/APMAA_asia/2019_Doha_conference.htm
Academic Paper sessions (20
min. presentation, 10 min. discussion, 5 min. Q&A)
Doctoral Colloquium Paper Sessions (15 min. presentation, 10 min. discussion, 5
min. Q&A) |