The INSAR Global Senior Leaders Initiative (GSL) was established by INSAR in April 2019. The main purpose of the initiative is to create a global network of senior leaders in autism research that will support the “Diverse and Global” Value of INSAR to represent and serve a diverse and global community. 

The GSL initiative is overseen by the GSL committee, which includes two Co-Chairs (from different parts of the world), and seven Regional Representatives, each representing a World Health Organization (WHO) Region/Sub-Region (sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern-Mediterranean Region, Europe, South-East Asia, Western Pacific, Northern America, Latin-America). The GSL committee acts as link between the INSAR Board and National Representatives.

Regional Representatives are GSL Committee Members each of whom serves one of the WHO regions/sub-regions. Each Regional Representative acts as link to National Representatives of countries in that region. GSL Committee Members serve a 3-year term.  

The National Representatives will serve as their Country’s point of contact for the INSAR Board about issues of national or international importance relating to autism research in their country for a 2-year period . 

Yes, all Board members, Committee Members, GSL Regional and National Representatives are required to maintain INSAR Full Membership.

National Representatives have six key tasks during their elected terms:

1. Serve as point of contact for the INSAR Board on issues of national and international importance relating to autism research in their country.
2. Support the INSAR Early Career Global Representatives and other INSAR committees.
3. Provide an annual report to the INSAR Board about the state of autism research in their country.
4. Contribute annual information on autism research in their country, to be accessible through the INSAR website.
5. Serve as role models for autism research excellence in their countries, and increase INSAR membership recruitment in their country.
6. Foster a trans-national research culture that may result in multi-centre collaborations and team science approaches.

Please contact the GSL Committee and National Representatives through the administrative email Committees@autism-insar.org. The email will be received by the INSAR administrative team who will direct it as required.

The GSL initiative is keen to hear from any INSAR members if you have questions or suggestions about autism research in your country. We may not always be able to respond immediately or directly to your enquiry, but we will feed all enquiries and suggestions to the GSL Committee and/or relevant National Representative.

We will not be able to respond to questions about your own research or research projects, and we may not be able to comment on or advise on clinical services in your country. 

No, the GSL initiative will not be able to help you with your own research. We will, therefore not be able to advertise research projects or send surveys or questionnaires to INSAR members on your behalf. 

INSAR and the GSL initiative may select some of their own research projects, for instance global surveys, and will invite INSAR members to participate. These projects will be guided by the INSAR Board and by the Strategic objectives of INSAR.

No, the GSL initiative will not directly advertise meetings or conferences. However, National Representatives will be asked every year to list activities (including workshops and conferences on autism), so you could suggest your meetings to your National Representatives, and they will in turn propose those to be added to your country’s webpage. 

Please note that the INSAR Board has the final say in what does and does not get advertised on the website. Please also remember that these actions take time, so make sure you let your National Representative know a long time in advance if you think you have a relevant meeting or conference to advertise.