Statutes of the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet approved by the Government of Sweden on the 7th of April, 1994

 

FUNCTIONS, COMPOSITION AND ORGANIZATION

§ 1
The primary task of the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet is to carry out, according to the detailed provisions set out below, the duties related to the award of the Nobel prize in Physiology or Medicine which formerly fell to the medical faculty of Karolinska Institutet under the Statutes of the Nobel Foundation and the statute comprising special regulations for the award by the Caroline Medico Chirurgical Institute of prizes from the Nobel Foundation et al.
The Assembly is also to promote the cause of medical research by other means.

§ 2
The Assembly consists of 50 elected members.
Only persons holding appointments as professors in medical subjects at Karolinska Institutet may be elected as members.
Members retire from the Assembly when they relinquish their appointments at Karolinska Institutet.
Note: see transitional provisions for the original size of the Assembly.

§ 3
The business of the Assembly is in the hands of its chairman, secretary and Nobel Committee.


ELECTION OF MEMBERS

§ 4
If the number of members should fall below the figure established in § 2, the election of new members shall take place at the November meeting of the Assembly.
Note: see transitional provisions for the election of the original members.


CHAIRMAN AND SECRETARY OF THE ASSEMBLY

§ 5
At the November meeting the Assembly elects a chairman from among its own members to serve for one year. The chairman may not be re-elected with immediate effect nor may he also serve as chairman of the Nobel Committee.
A deputy chairman is elected in the same manner. If both the chairman and the deputy chairman are unable to be present, the last member who has served as chairman and who is not prevented from taking on the task is to serve in their stead.

§ 6
On the recommendation of the Nobel Committee, a secretary is appointed from among the members of the Assembly for a period of three years. This post cannot be held for more than four successive periods.

§ 7
If the chairman, deputy chairman or secretary retires before the expiry of the period for which he was appointed, a successor is elected as soon as possible to serve for the remainder of the period.


ELECTION COMMITTEE

§ 8
The Assembly elects five members of an Election Committee, whose task is to submit recommendations for the election of new members, as well as of a chairman and deputy chairman of the Assembly.

Members of the Election Committee are elected for a period of three years. Retiring members may be re-elected but no member may serve more than six consecutive years. The election periods shall be adjusted in such a manner that no more than two members are due to retire at the same time. In the same manner a personal deputy shall be elected for each member. Recommendations for new members and deputies shall be made jointly by the Election Committee and the Nobel Committee.

The Assembly appoints one of the members as chairman, and one as deputy chairman, of the Election Committee.

§ 9
The Nobel Committee to be appointed for the medical prize section according to § 6 of the Statutes of the Nobel Foundation shall consist of five members, who are elected by the Assembly on the recommendation of the Nobel Committee. Elections are for three years. Retiring members may be re-elected but no one may be a member for more than six consecutive years. Election periods are to be adjusted so that no more than two members are due to retire at the same time.

The Assembly elects one member from among the members of the Nobel Committee to act as chairman of the Committee and one member to act as deputy chairman, on the recommendation of the Nobel Committee and for a period of one year at a time. Such an appointment may not be held for more than three consecutive years.

The secretary of the Assembly also serves as secretary of the Nobel Committee.

If the chairman, deputy chairman, secretary or any member retires before the expiry of the period for which he was elected, a successor is elected for the remainder of the period.
If a member is prevented over a long period from taking part in the evaluation of proposals for awards that year, the Assembly is entitled to elect another member to replace him.
The chairman and the deputy chairman of the Assembly are entitled to attend the Committee’s meetings.

§ 10
On a recommendation from the Nobel Committee, the Assembly appoints ten persons who are particularly well qualified in the subject-areas concerned to participate as co-opted members in the deliberations of the Committee and its decisions regarding adjudication of the proposals for awards that year and related matters from the 1st of March until the 31st of October.

If a co-opted member retires during this period, the Assembly appoints a replacement on the recommendation of the Nobel Committee, if it is considered necessary.


NOBEL PRIZE BUSINESS

§ 11
Persons competent to submit proposals for awards under § 7 of the Statutes of the Nobel Foundation are:
1. members of the Assembly,
2. Swedish and foreign members of the medical class of the Royal Academy of Sciences,
3. previous recipients of the Nobel prize in Physiology or Medicine,
4. members of the Nobel Committee not qualified under paragraph 1 above,
5. holders of established posts as professors at the faculties of medicine in Sweden and holders of similar posts at the faculties of medicine or similar institutions in Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway,
6. holders of similar posts at no fewer than six other faculties of medicine selected by the Assembly with a view to ensuring the appropriate distribution of the task among various countries and their seats of learning and
7. practitioners of natural sciences whom the Assembly may otherwise see fit to approach.
Decisions concerning the selection of the persons appointed under paragraphs 6. and 7. above are taken before the end of May each year on the recommendation of the Nobel Committee.

§ 12
The Nobel Committee arranges for examination of nominations received and decides which of the works proposed should be the subject of a special investigation. The Committee is entitled to appoint a committee member or outside expert to assist them in this matter.

Once the Committee’s decision has been conveyed to the Assembly, the Assembly decides, before the end of May, whether any works should be added to the list submitted by the Committee for special investigation.

Submitted proposals for awards lapse if the work does not come up for special investigation. Proposals for the award of a prize to an institution or society are not considered.
The Assembly decides the order of procedure of the Nobel Committee.

§ 13
The Assembly is to take a final decision concerning awards not later than the month of October, the Nobel Committee having reported on its endeavours and put forward its proposals for prize awards.

A member of the Nobel Committee who is not a member of the Assembly is entitled to take part in the deliberations of the Assembly concerning awards but may not participate in decisions.

§ 14
Voting in elections and on awards is by secret ballot. Other votes in the Assembly shall be open votes. A simple majority is valid. In the event of a tied vote, the fall of the lot decides the issue in the case of elections and votes for prize awards, but the view supported by the chairman prevails in other cases.

Each member of the Assembly who participates in the final decision concerning an award receives a gold medal specially minted for the occasion.

 

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