EMA Online General Assembly - May 2026

Official Notice of the EMA Online General Assembly 2026

24 April 2026

Dear EMA Community,

I am writing to you today with an important announcement and a genuine sense of hope in our collective spirit as a community.

After months of uncertainty, it is time for us to come together and decide our collective future. The EMA Online General Assembly is hereby convened for 28 and 29 May 2026, in accordance with Article 11.1 of the EMA statutes, which requires an annual General Assembly before the last Friday of May. This General Assembly is convened to ensure that all decisions regarding EMA’s future are taken collectively by its members, in full alignment with the association’s Statutes.

Why Now, and Why This Matters

EMA exists because of the thousands (~7000 members are currently registered on the EMA Community Portal) of Erasmus Mundus students and alumni across the world who believe in what this association stands for: mutual respect, equality, international mobility, and higher education. Over the past year, governance challenges have slowed us down, created uncertainty, and tested our resilience. But they have not broken us.

It is more than a legal obligation to hold a General Assembly; it is our means toward restoring trust within the association and moving forward together.

DG EAC and EACEA agree that EMA should proceed with a General Assembly due to the exceptional circumstances and the significant time that has passed since the end of the previous Management Board mandate.

The General Assembly is the highest decision-making body of the EMA and will enable members to participate in a series of votes that will determine EMA’s path forward. It is YOUR voice. And right now, your voice is exactly what EMA needs.

This GA will be held online, with full logistical support from the Erasmus+ Support Service (ESS) Team / ICF, in coordination with EACEA and DG EAC, ensuring that members from every corner of the world can participate equally.

What We Will Decide Together

At this GA, we will address the most pressing matters facing our association:

1. Financial accountability: Approving EMA’s annual accounts and budget (Article 14.6 EMA Statute) and appointing a special auditor (Article 14.4 EMA Statute) to review EMA’s finances over the past five years for full transparency and accountability.

2. Association activities and annual report: Presentation of the annual report and overview of EMA activities during the reporting period.

3. Resolving the governance dispute and building for the future: Discussing and voting on proposals relating to the resolution of the governance dispute, the functioning of the Management Board, and possible amendments to the EMA Statutes and Internal Regulations.

The agenda is prepared in accordance with the responsibilities contained in the EMA Statutes and IR and will incorporate contributions from members submitted within the defined timeline. The inclusion of agenda items or proposals in this announcement does not prejudge the outcome of any vote. All decisions remain subject to deliberation and determination by the General Assembly.

Want to Put Something on the Agenda?

Any Ordinary Member may propose items for the agenda in writing via the Agenda Submisson Form, no later than 29 April 2026, i.e., 30 days before the GA, in accordance with IR 6.8 (a) and (b). All proposals submitted on time will be reviewed and considered for inclusion. You are strongly encouraged to submit your proposals in a timely manner.

How to Participate

Only Ordinary Members, namely eligible Erasmus Mundus Joint Degree scholars and alumni as defined under Article 7.1 of the EMA Statutes, are entitled to vote.

(Article 7.1 read with 8.1(d) EMA Statute)

First, check your membership status on the EMA Community Portal. You can verify your membership category (Ordinary, Affiliate, or Honorary, per Articles 6-9 of the EMA Statute) under your profile name on the Portal homepage.

If you are an EMJM scholar or alumnus and your profile incorrectly shows “Affiliate,” please confirm the correct membership type in your Registration Form so the ESS Team can resolve it before the GA.

Why This Step is Necessary

The preliminary review has revealed inconsistencies in the membership data on the EMA Community Portal, including instances of incorrect membership categorization. Such discrepancies may affect voting eligibility and could create complications during the General Assembly.

To safeguard the integrity of the voting process and ensure that all eligible ordinary members can fully exercise their rights, it is essential that membership information be verified and, where necessary, corrected in advance of the GA.

Registration details and voting procedures

Registration details and voting procedures will be shared by the ESS Team in due course. The full agenda and all supporting documents will be published at least seven days before the GA, in accordance with Statute Article 12.4.

The General Assembly shall proceed in accordance with the Statutes and Internal Regulations, irrespective of any disagreement among officeholders, with decisions reserved for membership.

A Note to the Community

This General Assembly is a collective space for decision-making. It is an opportunity for all members, across regions, roles, and perspectives, to contribute to shaping EMA’s future. The General Assembly is intended to provide a neutral forum for deliberation and decision-making by the membership on matters concerning EMA’s path forward.

The process will be conducted in accordance with the principles of transparency, inclusiveness, and fairness.

If you would like to support the organization of the General Assembly, you are welcome to join the GA Organizing Committee.

With respect and responsibility,

Issued pursuant to Article 11.1 of the EMA Statutes:

Marvi Qazi

President, Erasmus Mundus Association (EMA AISBL)

president@em-a.eu

Vice President

Invited to endorse this notice jointly

Any resolutions adopted shall be subject to the voting procedures and requirements set out in the EMA Statutes and Internal Regulations.

Legal References

The GA is convened pursuant to Article 11.1 of the EMA Statutes, which mandates an annual GA before the last Friday of May. Agenda items are supported by Articles 14.4, 14.6, 14.9, 14.10, 14.11, 18.5, 28.4 and 28.5 of the EMA Statutes, read together with Sections 6 of the Internal Regulations.