Dear AMIC members and friends,
Greetings!
I’m writing to share with you some important developments with regard to AMIC.
AMIC was founded in 1971 and has always been based in Singapore. Since 1996, the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has been our headquarters and also the single most generous financial supporter of AMIC. However, NTU now has new priorities and the high level of support it has been providing AMIC is no longer feasible from its own perspective. For us, however, the much reduced offer of support it made is not sufficient to run even the basic operations of AMIC.
Thus, your Board of Directors was compelled to look for an alternative location for the Secretariat operations of AMIC. The Board received a few proposals from interested parties to host AMIC. After much deliberation, and weighing all the pros and cons of various hosts, the Board has concluded that the proposal from a consortium of the Philippines Women’s University (PWU) and the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC) in Manila was the best. The proposed PWU-AIJC Consortium involves an established university and an eminent NGO. The consortium’s strengths are congruous with the key AMIC functions in research and training, as well as our publications programme.
Thus, while AMIC remains a ‘company limited by guarantee’ registered under the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority, Singapore, the day to day operations of the Secretariat will move from Singapore to Manila shortly. We will ensure that the transition is as smooth as possible.
Another important development is the change of leadership at AMIC headquarters. Dr Martin Hadlow, who has been serving AMIC as Acting Secretary General for the past two years, has stepped down from his position but remains on the Board. In view of the transfer of AMIC headquarters to Manila, the Board has now appointed Mr Ramon Tuazon, current AMIC Board Member from the Philippines, as the new Acting Secretary General until a permanent appointment is made. You will be soon hearing from Ramon directly.
On behalf of the Board and all members of AMIC, I wish to record our deep gratitude to NTU, especially the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, its Chair, Prof Chuck Salmon, and its staff for their long and generous support of AMIC over the years. The association with NTU has been rewarding and fulfilling.
I also wish to record, on all our behalf, our great appreciation to Martin for stepping in to act as the Secretary General during a difficult transition. He served AMIC ably and unstintingly, and towards the end, without any remuneration. It was a remarkable gesture of his commitment to AMIC and the Board and management of AMIC are most grateful to him.
Next, I wish to warmly welcome Ramon as the new Acting Secretary General and, on all our behalf, wish him the best in his new undertaking in AMIC. We very much look forward to the new chapter opening in Manila under his leadership.
You will be pleased to know that the AMIC management has already started to work on the next Annual Conference and we hope to make a formal announcement soon.
Finally, on behalf of your Board and my personal behalf, I wish to thank each and every member of AMIC for their continued support and understanding. Without you, we would not have come this far, nor will we go much further.
Arun Mahizhnan
Chair, Board of Directors
AMIC