TERMAT DHE KUSHTET, RREGULLAT, KODI I SJELLJES

These Terms and Conditions are based on the bylaws of SHPIK, as established by the membership of by general vote. In case of any contradiction between the Terms and Conditions as displayed on this document / webpage and the bylaws, the bylaws will prevail.

1 ELIGIBILITY

Membership is open to all persons and organizations.

All ICT Professionals, ICT companies, ICT Students, ICT Teachers and Professors as well as companies and or individuals that draw services or provide services from / to ICT stakeholders are confirmed as eligible SHPIK members. In other words, SHPIK will prioritize membership of the people and organizations who are most affected by the issues organization works on. Membership to SHPIK is open also to all providers of development cooperation, including donors, national and international institutions and philanthropic foundations that:

• Share and promote the vision and mission of SHPIK
• Share same values and commit to adhere to SHPIK’s code of conduct
• Agree to pay the annual membership contribution, the level of which will be set by the Bord of Trustees
• Contribute their expertise to relevant sub-groups (SIG’s) and working groups.

2 Membership Contributions

Members will be required to pay an annual membership contribution to provide predictable funding to SHPIK. This amount will be determined by the Board of Trustees based on the annual workplan and budget and calculated based on the number of paying members as of 1st of August for each succeeding calendar year.

Contributions are due on the last days of membership period. The services offered for different membership categories and their corresponding pricing models is built on the feedback of survey, conducted with SHPIK on a regular basis. SHPIK will offer different packages of pricing for different groups of interest. There will be pricing models of membership for students, ICT professionals, ICT companies, Job-matching platform, attendance in conferences, special trainings, Hackathons, Bootcamps, Meetups, etc.

3 START AND DURATION OF MEMBERSHIP

Membership starts on the day payment of the membership has been received in the account of SHPIK. Membership will last for the period as indicated in the subscription by the member. Duration can only be altered in case the member wants to become a member in a higher category.

In case payment for renewal of the membership has not been received, member’s access to the website will end one month after the due payment date. Membership can be ended prior to the end date in cases mentioned under 4.

4 MEMBERSHIP FEES

Membership fees will be paid by credit card or bank transfer via the ways indicated on SHPIK’s website. Membership fees shall be set by the Board. The Board may create different categories of membership and variable levels of membership fees. Alterations to the categories of membership or the schedule of dues shall require a two-thirds majority of the Board.

5 END OF MEMBERSHIP

The membership ends if the membership period has ended and the member has not renewed membership. In case membership fees due are not paid, SHPIK has the right to terminate the membership of the member involved.

In case a member don’t adhere with this terms and conditions, deploys activities that may harm the interests of SHPIK, or in case a member acts in a way that is in severe contradiction with SHPIK’s aims and nature, SHPIK may withholds the right to end the membership of the member involved.

Any member has the right to terminate his or her membership before the formal end of the membership period. Termination has to be sent in writing to the SHPIK Secretariat and does not constitute any right of reimbursement of membership fees.

End of membership, either at the end of the membership period or by intermediate termination does not constitute any right of reimbursement of membership fees.

6 SHPIK’s Core Values

At SHPIK, we share these common values:

1. The importance of digital skills
   Digital skills are of critical importance for the development of society!
2. Professionalism
   Accountability and ethical behavior will guide our work and dedication to the community we serve!
3. Voluntary work
   Volunteer work, commitment and community participation are the best way to fulfill the goals and objectives of the organization!
4. Diversity, equality and inclusiveness
   The digital transformation of society cannot happen at the cost of equality, diversity and inclusiveness. We will make sure that through our actions no one will be left behind!
5. Community
   The exchange and interaction of members of the IT community with other communities is the best way to learn and advance.
6. Thinking differently
   We encourage different thinking in order to foster tolerance, respect, understanding and innovation in our work and community.
7. Respect and responsibility
   We communicate openly with each other in a spirit of goodwill. In case of conflicts, we will commit ourselves to resolve them fairly and objectively to produce effective solutions. Our communication culture is built on mutual trust. Constructive criticism is welcome.
8. Sincerity and integrity
   We will interact constructively and honestly. Our work, our work methods, data, processes, and results of our work will be carried out and documented faithfully.

7 Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

The work of IT professionals is changing our society and our way of life and work, so it is important that during our work, as members of this community, we behave with high ethical and professional responsibility. The code of conduct of our organization aims to define the principles that will guide us in our work as an organization and in our interaction with members of our organization or other organizations. This code of conduct is applicable to all members of the organization as well as to all employees of the organization. This code of ethics and professional conduct was created to guide and inspire the ethical and professional conduct of all SHPIK members, including students, staff, organizations, teachers, counselors, freelancers, and our partners.

The principles of our code of ethics and professional conduct are:

1. The public good will be our focus and concern
2. Our decision-making processes will always be transparent
3. We will continuously monitor our work to ensure objectivity and, if necessary, take corrective action
4. We will always be honest in our communication and actions
5. Our decisions will always be in the best interest of society, public safety, and the environment
6. We will always fulfill our obligations
7. We will strive to maintain the reputation of the profession and to continuously advance our professional knowledge and skills as well as to be familiar with the latest technological developments and standards that are relevant to our scope
8. We will respect the intellectual property
9. We will protect the confidentiality of the information entrusted to us
10. We will respect the privacy of data and will never infringe on the rights of individuals or groups
11. We will respect local and international laws and regulations
12. We will apply best professional practices in our work
13. We will commit to work only in those areas for which we are competent
14. We will build systems and solutions that are robust and secure
15. We will create opportunities for members of the organization to develop
16. SHPIK members pledge to treat each other with respect
17. We will not tolerate any form of discrimination, sexual harassment, violence or intimidation
18. We will avoid participating in any activity that could damage the organization or the reputation of the organization and its members
19. Confirmation of agreement on the validity and implementation of the code of ethics and professional conduct will precede membership in the SHPIK
20. This code may be amended from time to time in accordance with the procedures to be determined by the governing structures
21. We will respect, apply, and promote this code of ethics and professional conduct
22. Violation of the code of ethics and professional conduct is contrary to membership in the SHPIK and can be reported secretly and anonymously by anyone
23. The violation of this agreement will result in immediate expulsion from the organization

All members are required as a condition of their membership to adhere to SHPIK’s Code of Conduct. Failure to do so may lead to the termination of membership.

Breach of the Code of Conduct

A complaint regarding a breach of the code of conduct may be made by anyone, whether they are a SHPIK member or not. In the first instance, complaint should be made in writing or verbally to the member of the team who provided the service related to the alleged breach of conduct (e.g. the events team if it happened during an event), or directly to the Executive Director of SHPIK.

8 Confidentiality Policy

I am aware that, during my membership, confidential information may be made available to me. Further, I understand that such information could be proprietary and critical to the success of SHPIK and may not be distributed or used outside of SHPIK premises or with non- SHPIK individuals, without prior consent of SHPIK. In the event of the termination of my membership, whether voluntary or involuntary, I hereby agree that I will not utilize or exploit this information for my own personal gain, or share it with any other individual, nonprofit agency, or company.

9 Forum-, Posting- and Communication Guidelines

The principles of our forum rules, and communication and posting guidelines are:

• Be helpful, polite, considerate, and respectful of others.
• Defamatory, hateful, offensive language, threats, insults, or improper materials are all explicitly prohibited. Do not post anything that you would not want others to see or know it was written by you.
• Do not make other people feel pressured or attacked. The primary aim of the forum’s discussions is to invoke conversation, not to try and cause conflict.
• Respect members’ privacy.
• Comments and discussions should be based on personal knowledge and experiences.

Prishtinë, 2022