Governance

  • SOCIB is formally a consortium with its own legal entity created through a joint agreement between the Government of the Balearic Islands (CAIB) and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN). The governance of this consortium is managed through the following mechanisms:
  •  Board of Trustees – formed equally by members from CAIB and MICINN (including CSIC from 2010 onwards), it establishes the rules, direction and general function of the SOCIB consortium; it also approves the management structure. The Board of Trustees meets twice a year in order to approve the annual accounts16 and the SOCIB Budget and Activities Plan for the forthcoming year, and to approve any changes to the SOCIB constitution.
  • Executive Commission – second to the Board of trustees and again formed equally by members from CAIB and MICINN, it meets once per quarter to discuss and approve the Activities Plan and approve the annual budgets to be put forward to the Board of Trustees. It also approves the proposed salary structure.
  • External Scientific Committee - composed of ten senior scientists of international standing in marine science, proposed by the SOCIB Director and approved by the Board of Trustees. The External Scientific Committee meets once a year to advise the SOCIB Director with regard to SOCIB strategic objectives with regard to operational oceanography, marine science and technology issues. The Scientific Committee (or a sub-section of it) also reviews proposals for access to SOCIB facilities, as a result of the open call process. Thus ensuring equal opportunity for the applicant groups based on scientific standards within an international framework. See Box 4 for the current committee membership (Dec 2009).
  • Access Committee - The SOCIB Director is appointed by the Board of Trustees and is responsible for the overall development and administration of SOCIB and the reporting to the Board of Trustees, Executive Commission and External Scientific Committee.

BOE 5 April 2008: Formal constitution of SOCIB