General Assembly
Steering the future of the association
WAITRO full member organizations are represented in the General Assembly. Delegates of member organizations meet every two years to discuss the future of the association and work together on new collaboration forms to create lasting ties between members and partners.
Past General Assemblies and WAITRO Conferences
2022
Cape Town,
South Africa
WAITRO Summit (focus on SDD 17: partnerships for the goals)
2020
Online
(due COVID-19)
WAITRO://50 – Virtual Innovation Summit (focus on SDG 6: clean water and sanitation for all)
2018
Malaysia
Global Collaboration for Innovation, Competitiveness and Sustainability
2016
Colombia
Public-Private Partnerships to Innovate Innovation
2014
Denmark
Horizon 2020 and Beyond. RTOs in International Collaboration
2012
New Delhi,
India
Technological Innovations: For All Inclusive Growth
2010
Dubai,
UAE
Leadership for Innovation
2008
Seri Kembangan, Malaysia
Turning Technology Innovation into Profit
2006
Saskatoon,
Canada
The Business of Innovation
2004
Nairobi,
Kenya
Technologies for Sustainable Development
2002
Porto Alegre,
Brazil
The Role of Research and Technology Organizations in the Globalized World
2000
The Hague,
The Netherlands  
Knowledge Management in Research and Technology Organizations
1998
Warsaw,
Poland 
Best practices for the management of research and technology organizations
1996
Cairo,
Egypt
Accreditation and certification in RTOs
1995
New Delhi,
India 
Human resources development in R&D institutes
1992
Canada 
R&D strategies for 1990s
1988
Port of Spain, Trinidad/Tobago 
Technological Innovation
1986
Aarhus,
Denmark 
Interaction of R&D institutes with local industry
1984
New Delhi,
India 
Co-operative research on advanced technologies appropriate to developing countries
1982
San Felipe,
Venezuela
Appropriate technology through co-operative arrangements
1980
Colombo,
Sri Lanka 
Co-operative arrangements for R&D: ways for implementation
1978
Noordwijkerhout,
The Netherlands
Self-Reliance in R&D
1976
Guatemala City, Guatemala
Possible roles for WAITRO in industrial development
1974
Beirut,
Lebanon
A challenge for the interaction by WAITRO members
1972
Juan les Pins,
France
Management of industrial research institutes
WAITRO Constitution
The WAITRO Constitution and By-Laws provide the legal framework for the organizational structure and governance of the association. The first Constitution and By-Laws were approved at the meeting of the founding members on 29 October 1970 in Vienna, Austria. Revisions and further amendments to the Constitution and By-laws were adopted by the members in order to regulate and ensure good governance and management of the association. The latest edition contains modifications to the Constitution, By-laws and Rules and Procedures of the General Assembly that were accepted during its 25th biennial meeting on 30th October 2020.