Chapters are a technical subunit of an IEEE Region, one or more IEEE Sections, or an IEEE Geographic Council. These various organizational units are among those that comprise the IEEE Membership and Geographic Activities (MGA) organization. The relationahips between Regions, Sections, Chapters, Affinity Groups and other organizational units within the IEEE are described in detail in the MGA Operations Manual. There may be single Society Chapters, joint Society Chapters, Technical Council Chapters and Student Branch Chapters. All of these groups are described in the MGA Operations Manual, especially Section 9 of that reference.
In order to create a chapter, the Chapter Organizer must gather 12 or more signatures (along with IEEE membership numbers) from MTT-S Members on a Society Chapter petition. Signers must be members of the Society, and must have membership at member, senior member, fellow or life member grade. Student, graduate student or affiliate grade members cannot be counted among the 12. Approval is required from the Section and Society that will be represented. In many cases, a Chapter may already exist which can be expanded.
The Society Chapter petition and details about new Chapter formation can be found here.
Chapters are part of the geographic organizational units under the IEEE Membership and Geographic Activities (MGA) organization. The relationahips between Regions, Sections, Chapters, Affinity Groups and other organizational units within the IEEE are described in detail in the MGA Operations Manual.