AAERI over the next two years (2019-2020)…

AAERI (Association of Australian Education Representatives in India) has elected me as President for the next two years and some felt that it’s a significant news. The reality is that it is not and it is a reassurance on continuity of the good work that has been going on in AAERI over the tenure of the outgoing President. Most of the executive team is also common. I have performed as President in the past on numerous occasions and so the question before me as I accepted the position was simple: What do I want to do that will leave AAERI even better in two years?

I thought on this and what was obvious is that like all formations that have been around for such a period of time (22 years), there has to be a mechanism that allows new contributors to join in and then gradually move into the leadership position. You may refer to it as a succession plan but I tend to simply term it as “inclusiveness”. It is clear that not all want to be contesting elections but still want to contribute.  There are rigid structures in any legal society and so had to find a way within the framework. Thus emerged the proposal to open up the committees by which non-executives can work with elected-executives. This has also helped remove the notion that AAERI is an “all boys club”. Now it is upto the committee heads who are empowered to be innovative in their approach.

Delegation of tasks, Transparency in operations, Inclusiveness in approach and Continuity in the vision is what I am working with over the next two years.

AAERI has risen in profile and the credit for this lies with several members of our trade. AAERI has taken up issues for the interest of Australian Education and its representatives and often has desired changes to polices that has surprised the stakeholders since those suggestions are not often unexpected from a trade body as they are not governed by commercial considerations. In two years if we have even more active contributors who can put AAERI ahead of their own self interest, we will be leaving AAERI with a greater promise of longevity.

This is my personal blog and thought of airing my personal thoughts here. For official communications on AAERI, refer to http://www.aaeri.in

A roadmap for AAERI for 2019 that was publicly issued by its secretariat is downloadable from this link ( aaeri 2019 roadmap ). I have built upon and packaged the roadmap drafted by the outgoing President, Mr Rahul Gandhi and thus signalling continuity.