Membership types

Full ASAS member

Full ASAS membership is provided for experts with an established record in the field of spondyloarthritis. Full members receive all mailing and information from the ASAS Executive Committee, are entitled to attend ASAS meetings and events and are able to vote in general meetings, to propose new projects, to participate in existing ASAS activities and to be elected in the ASAS Executive Committee. Full members are also included in voting processes and Delphi exercises. Full membership needs to be renewed every year.

Associate ASAS member

Associate members are either trainees in rheumatology or those persons who are developing a scientific record in the study of spondyloarthritis. Associate members are receiving all mailing and information from the ASAS Executive Committee, are entitled to attend ASAS meetings and events, and to participate in existing ASAS activities including Delphi exercises. They do not have the ability to conduct independent research projects within ASAS, and are not able to vote in general meetings. Associate membership can be upgraded to a full membership after 2 years or extended for another 2 years (a maximum of 2 renewals is allowed) if the upgrade criteria are not fulfilled.

New applications and membership criteria

All new members initially join as Associate Members. An upgrade to Full Membership may occur after 2 years, provided that the full membership upgrade criteria are fulfilled. 

Criteria for membership

  1. Career focus and expression of special interest in the field of spondyloarthritis, such as active participation in educational, research, clinical and national groups activities.
  2. First or last authorship of at least 5 publications in the area of axial spondyloarthritis, published in peer reviewed journals in English during the last 5 years.
  3. Currently involved in spondyloarthritis projects and working in a setting that allows active participation in ASAS research projects.
  4. Letters of support from two current full ASAS members, and willingness to actively participate in ASAS activities, including (but not limited to) meetings, surveys, working groups and Y-ASAS teams.
 

Upgrade/renewal criteria – annual review, except for new (associate) members where criteria will be assessed after 2 years

  1. Career focus in spondyloarthritis, currently involved in spondyloarthritis projects.
  2. Attendance at a minimum of 75% of ASAS meetings over the past 3 years (or over the past 2 years for those who joined within the last two years as members), with at least one of these meetings attended in person.
  3. Participation in at least 75% of the ASAS questionnaires/surveys over the last 3 years (or over the past 2 years for those who joined within the last two years as members). Should this not be possible or feasible for any reasons, a notification to ASAS must be sent by email.
  4. First or last authorship in at least 3 publications in the area of axial spondyloarthritis, published in peer reviewed journals in English during the last 5 years.
  5. Active participation in ASAS initiatives, such as research projects, meetings, surveys, working groups and Y-ASAS teams.
 

Decisions

Applications for a new membership are reviewed by the Executive Committee, usually twice a year around ASAS annual meeting (January) and summer/autumn EC meeting (Jun-Oct).

Number of members

The number of members is currently not limited.

Costs

ASAS membership is provided free of charge.

Policy on Employees of pharmaceutical companies

Persons in industry may not apply for membership outside that included in the Corporate Partner Program.