Nets4Dem General Assembly 2025

The Nets4Dem Network brings together a diverse group of individuals and organisations working in the fields of democracy, participation, and deliberation. To ensure effective collaboration and decision-making within this dynamic network, a robust governance model is being developed. 

At the heart of this model lie three main governance bodies acting as Stewards for the entire Network:  

1. the Steering Committee, responsible for coordinating the network's members, engaging new participants, and facilitating decision-making processes that impact the entire community. This committee acts as a guiding force, ensuring the network's stability, sustainability, and collective well-being. 
2. Complementing the Steering Committee is the Advisory Council, which plays a crucial role in evaluating the members' experiences and identifying any misalignments or issues that need to be addressed. This council acts as a bridge, elevating the network's needs and aspirations to the Steering Committee, fostering a collaborative and responsive environment.      
3. The true drivers of the network's efforts are the Working Groups, which serve as collaborative platforms for members to tackle specific phenomena or explore strategic goals. These groups operate with a degree of autonomy, while still being guided by the overarching principles and direction     supported by the Steering Committee.      

Through this governance model, the Nets4Dem Network aims to harness the collective expertise and passion of its members, fostering an environment of openness, continuous learning, and shared commitment to advancing democracy, participation, and deliberation. 

You can find a summary of our governance model here.

Our Terms of Reference document serves as a full description of our governance framework that:

• Defines the roles and responsibilities of the Steering Committee in relation to project governance and network development.
• Establishes decision-making processes for operational, tactical, and strategic matters.
• Outlines procedures for onboarding and transitioning new SC members as the network governance evolves.
• Clarifies the relationship between the SC, Advisory Council, and Working Groups, ensuring a structured and collaborative approach to decision-making.

Our governance framework has been built during the last months in agreement with all consortium members, but we are eager to hear your feedback on it.