Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) Special General Meeting - Result of Resolution Vote 

Fellows of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) have voted decisively to support the Society’s present policy of funding a wide range of research projects and scientific expeditions studying important contemporary issues in many different places across the world.

A small group of Fellows had called a special general meeting and tabled a resolution to try to force the Society to undertake large interdisciplinary expeditions focused on single locations.  

The vote was 2,590 (61.7%) against their resolution and 1,607 (38.3%) in favour. More than 10,000 Fellows were eligible to vote by postal ballot or in person at today’s Special General Meeting (SGM). The poll was organised by Electoral Reform Services.

The Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) President, Prof. Sir Gordon Conway, said: “This vote of confidence in the Society’s policy and leadership means that we will continue to support research and scientific expeditions with a wide range of grants as one of the many ways of delivering our Charter objective of advancing geographical science in a way fit for the 21st century.”

The Society will proceed later this year with the planned 5-year review of its support for generating new knowledge through research and scientific expeditions. More details will be available in due course in the Society's next Bulletin and on the website. Comments from Fellows, individually or collectively, are welcome and will be considered as part of the review process.