NOSOVE General Assembly minutes, 2013

Tuesday 15th of 2013, Copenhagen, Denmark

Election of chairman of the AGM: Maria Nöremark

Election of secretary: Liza Rosenbaum Nielsen

Election of keeper of minutes:  Liza Rosenbaum Nielsen

The chairman of NOSOVE, Maria Nöremark, gave a report of the time since the last NOSOVE meeting in 2010:

The report covered the period since the latest election (i.e. since last meeting 2010).
Chairman: Maria Nöremark (Statens Veterinärmedicinska Anstalt, Sweden) Treasurer: Ann Lindberg (Statens Veterinärmedicinska Anstalt, Sweden)
Member: Marit Stormoen (Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Norway) Member: Outi Hälli (University of Helsinki, Finland) Member: Brian Lassen (Estonian University of Life Sciences, Estonia) Substitute: Britt Bang Jensen (National Veterinary Institute, Norway) Substitute: Liza Rosenbaum Nielsen (KU LIFE, Denmark) Auditor: Marianne Sandberg (Landbrug & Fødevarer, Denmark) Auditor: Trude Lyngstadt (National Veterinary Institute, Norway) Substitute for auditors: Nina Otten (KU LIFE, Denmark)


The board has had four meetings (teleconferences) discussing the outcome of the survey and planning the 2013 meeting. The format of the 2013, including a workshop for discussion on education within veterinary epidemiology is a result of the wishes expressed by the members through the survey. To provide a background for the workshop the board has also done a survey among PhD-students in Veterinary Epidemiology to ask them; where and how they find information about PhD-courses in Veterinary Epidemiology, hinders to participate in such courses, needs for courses, advantages and disadvantages with e-learning vs. meeting in person and if there are courses that they have been extra satisfied with. The results were presented at the 2013 meeting.  Work has been done with the NOSOVE webpage/blogspot (thank you, Brian) and discussions are ongoing on how the page can be further improved, e.g. if it could be used for spreading information on upcoming courses or for suggesting topics for future courses.’

The board has had four meetings (teleconferences) discussing the outcome of the survey and planning the 2013 meeting. The format of the 2013, including a workshop for discussion on education within veterinary epidemiology is a result of the wishes expressed by the members through the survey. To provide a background for the workshop the board has also done a survey among PhD-students in Veterinary Epidemiology to ask them; where and how they find information about PhD-courses in Veterinary Epidemiology, hinders to participate in such courses, needs for courses, advantages and disadvantages with e-learning vs. meeting in person and if there are courses that they have been extra satisfied with. The results were presented at the 2013 meeting.  Work has been done with the NOSOVE webpage/blogspot (thank you, Brian) and discussions are ongoing on how the page can be further improved, e.g. if it could be used for spreading information on upcoming courses or for suggesting topics for future courses.’

Good financial situation in NOSOVE (current balance 112.686 SEK). Main expenses over the last couple of years have been sponsorships for SVEPM and ISVEE. Auditors recommended that the treasurer’s report could be approved. It was decided to introduce a routine where NOSOVE meeting budgets are approved by the board prior to committing to cover any deficits.

Discussion on the practice of supporting significant scientific meetings or participation in meetings followed. We do not have a lot of money for people to apply for all sorts of things, but will decide from time to time when requests come in. A few bursaries may be offered to participate in NOSOVE-meetings/courses in the future.

The following board was elected for the next period: For 1 year: Chairman: Arvo Viltrop (ES). Ordinary members: Marit Stormoen (N), Liza Rosenbaum Nielsen (DK), Aivars Berzins (LV) For 2 years: Treasurer Ann Lindberg (SE). Ordinary members: Brian Lassen (ES), Outi Hälli (F)

NOSOVE website:  We discussed whether we should have “a real website” with a ‘.org’ address rather than a dk-address. It was decided to keep NOSOVE.org and make it point to the blogspot, and there was general agreement that the blogspot works well. The blogspot works with different endings (nosove.blogspot.dk, nosove.blogspot.fi, nosove.blogspot.no, .com, etc.)

Lis Alban will find the statutes and Jens Frederik Agger will find a short description of the history of NOSOVE and a list of course to upload on the blogspot. If others have other documents of relevance, they can send it to the board to upload on the blogspot.

A meeting was planned in Iceland in 2011, but was cancelled due to few participants. (For the future it is important to remember to advertise the courses well enough).

Due to the cancelled meeting, in 2011 a survey was done among NOSOVE members concerning the future of NOSOVE; if NOSOVE should continue and if so in what way. The survey also asked for topics that could be of interest for future courses if it was decided to continue with NOSOVE. There was a support for continuing NOSOVE. The latest board was also elected through this survey since there was no meeting in 2011:

Treasurer Ann Lindberg’s report

The account was settled and the administration during the last election period approved (since the last meeting 2010).

Election of the new board members.

Election of substitutes for the board (1 year): Hanne Kongstad (DK) and Britt Bang Jensen (N)

Election of auditors: Marcus Doherr (CH) and Jenny Frössling (SE)

Determination of membership fee for the coming year to be zero

Any other business:  

Historical documents of NOSOVE:

A suggestion was made that the board makes a new-NOSOVO-logo to include all countries

Closing of the meeting