STATUTE FOR THE EUROPEAN CENTRE FOR GERONTOLOGY

B

L.N. 315 of 2009

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

STATUTE FOR THE EUROPEAN CENTRE FOR GERONTOLOGY

IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred upon him by articles 74(5) and

75(6) of the Education Act, the Chancellor of the University of Malta has

promulgated the following Statute made by the Council of the University of

Malta in virtue of the powers conferred upon it by articles 72(h), 75(2) and

77(c) of the said Act.

This statute may be cited as the Statute for the European Centre for Gerontology.

STATUTE FOR THE EUROPEAN CENTRE FOR GERONTOLOGY

The European Centre for Gerontology is hereby established as an institution

within the University of Malta.

The aims of the Centre shall be

(a)

to organize inter-disciplinary postgraduate diploma and degree

courses leading to Master (M.Ger.), Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.)

and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in the areas of Gerontology and

Geriatrics and allied areas, subject to the statutes and regulations of

the University of Malta;

(b)

to serve as a home basis for the postgraduate degree courses leading

to M.Ger., M.Phil and Ph.D. in Gerontology in the Southern

Mediterranean region by offering a European dimension in the

curriculum and enable students to take different parts of the study in

different European countries and thus attain a first-hand experience of

different settings in the field of Gerontology;

(c)

to play an active and leading role in the European Master’s degree in

Gerontology consortium aimed at meeting the challenges of the

ageing of the societies in Western Europe by offering comprehensive,

multi-disciplinary academic training programmes in Gerontology.

This will serve both member states, pre-accession countries and

Mediterranean countries;

(d)

to promote, conduct and co-ordinate research concerning the

phenomenon of aging and older persons in European countries

funded by the European Commission;

(e)

to organize national and international conferences, seminars and other

meetings to study topics of interest related to Gerontology and

Geriatrics;

(f)

to serve as a bridge between European countries and other countries

within the Arab world and the Mediterranean basin as part of the

Euro-Mediterranean Partnership sanctioned by the Barcelona

Conference;

(g)

to integrate activities with the International Institute on Aging, United

Nations Malta by sharing expertise in the running of long-term and

short-term training programmes in the various areas for personnel

from developing countries and also by collaborating in common

research projects;

(h)

to attract foreign students to specialize in the fields of Gerontology

and Geriatrics under the Leonardo, Erasmus-Socrates and Youth

Action Programmes;

(i)

to develop international links with similar institutions and universities

abroad within the EU, US and Euromed institutions and participate in

the construction of A European Area of Research (6 th Framework

Programme);

(j)

to undertake any other activities in the fields of Gerontology and

Geriatrics in co-operation with governmental and non-governmental

agencies;

(k)

to facilitate and promote the continuous education of older persons

through the University of the Third Age (U3E) and Pre-Retirement

programmes.

The Centre shall be governed by a Board consisting of

(i)

Chairman: Rector or his delegate;

(ii)

Vice-Chairman: Director of the Centre;

(iii)

a person appointed by the Council of the University;

(iv)

a person appointed by the Senate of the University;

(v)

the Director of the International Institute on Aging, United Nations-

Malta unless already appointed to the Board;

(vi) a representative of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery;

(vii) two representatives of the academic staff lecturing in the Centre;

(viii) two representatives of the students registered with the Centre;

(ix)

two scholars of repute to be appointed by co-option.

The Registrar or his delegate shall act as Secretary to the Board.

All members of the Board, other than those appointed ex officio, shall be

appointed for a period of one year, renewable for up to four years. A retiring

member will be eligible for re-appointment.

The function of the Board shall be

(a)

to govern the affairs of the Centre, subject to the provisions of these

statutes and of such regulations, policies or directions as may from

time to time be approved by the Council and the Senate;

(b)

to decide the policy of the Centre, to supervise its activities and

administration, and without prejudice to the generality of the

foregoing, the Board may

(i)

approve business plans and annual estimates of revenue and

expenditure of the Centre for consideration and approval by the

Council;

(ii)

with the written concurrence of the Rector, enter into

agreements with third parties for funding of the Centre or of

particular activities;

(iii) publish an annual report;

(iv)

enrol the Centre in associations or institutions sharing similar

aims and interests;

(v)

propose Regulations and Bye-Laws to the Senate;

(vi)

require from staff members of the Centre the production of

reports on academic matters, including the curricula of courses

of study, qualifications for admission to courses, examinations,

and certificates of attendance or qualification;

(vii) recommend to the Council the creation or abolition of

academic and non-academic posts in the Centre;

(viii) propose for approval to the Senate, Boards of Studies and

Examiners for postgraduate research degree courses.

The Centre shall have a Director and Staff

(a)

the Director shall be appointed from among the academic staff of the

University by the Council for a duration of one year, with the possibility

of renewal annually subject to established performance criteria, the needs

of the Centre and the needs of the University, for a total period not

exceeding four (4) years; and

(b)

the staff of the Centre shall be appointed by the University according to

usual practice.

The duties of the Vice-Chairman/Director shall include

(a)

promoting the development and implementation of the Centre’s curricula

and research programmes;

(b)

compiling and submitting to the Registrar of the University by not later

than January of each academic year, an updated comprehensive

prospectus of the content descriptions of all current and projected study-

units offered by members of the Centre as per guidelines established by

the Programme Validation Committee;

(c)

ensuring that the study-units offered by the staff members of the Centre

are delivered in accordance with the advertised programme of studies;

the Director must ensure that lecturing staff under his remit deliver all

lectures, seminars and tutorials assigned to them respectively, at the time

and venue advertised in the official timetable, and that any deviations

thereof are formally registered, and the students duly notified in good

time;

(d)

delivering and implementing the strategic plan of the Centre;

(e)

administering the Centre in full consultation with the members;

monitoring and approving requests for leave of absence of members of

the Centre; the Director is expected to maintain records of all leave taken

by members and to pass on these records to the Director of Human

Resources Management and Development upon request;

(f)

promoting students’ academic and personal welfare, providing first-line

support to students with any difficulties they may encounter during their

studies related to the activities of the Centre;

(g)

monitoring the running of tests and examinations in the Centre and

ensuring that all assessment and examination results are submitted to the

Registrar’s office as follows

January session – by the end of March;

May/June session – final year results by not later than two working

days prior the final year degree classification board but in any case

not later than end of July, other results as early as possible but not

later than the end of July;

September session – by the end of September.

(h)

encouraging and facilitating co-operation with other universities and

other institutions;

(i)

calling and chairing (in lieu of the Rector) meetings of the Board of the

Centre and ensuring that follow-up action is taken;

(j)

ensuring and facilitating the further development and training of

academic and non-academic staff;

(k)

participating at any meeting of the University congruent with the post;

(l)

representing the Centre during official functions of the University;

(m)

compiling and submitting to the Secretary of the University by the end

of September of each academic year, an annual report outlining the

activities of the Centre for the outgoing year, which should include

amongst other information that may be requested by the Secretary: a

comprehensive list of recent publications of all members of the Centre; a

synopsis of all projects involving members of the Centre which are

wholly or partially externally funded; a list of all

conferences/seminars/meetings attended abroad by members of the

Centre during term time; and an outline of the Centre’s collaboration

with third parties including local industry, Government or civil society at

large;

(n)

compiling and submitting to the Director of Finance of the University by

not later than end of May of each academic year budgetary estimates for

the following year including a manpower plan for the Centre, to cover

the projected teaching, research and administration workload of the

Centre, and based on the projected workload for each Resident

Academic member of the Centre and Visiting Teaching Staff;

(o)

monitoring the performance of the non-academic staff attached to the

Centre;

(p)

authorising the Centre’s procurement of equipment; ensuring that the

resources assigned to the Centre – whether human or other – are utilized

fully and efficiently;

(q)

performing other duties which may be assigned by the University from

time to time.

The Director moreover

(a)

is to report directly to the Chairman of the Board governing the Centre

and shall collaborate with all senior administrative officers of the

University;

(b)

shall normally be a Resident Academic engaged with the University on a

full-time basis for the duration of his tenure as Director. If the Centre is

engaged in undergraduate or postgraduate taught programmes of study

then the Director must be engaged with the University as a Resident

Academic on a full-time basis;

(c)

should not be engaged in any other activity outside the University which

may be in conflict with, or distract him from, his duties at the

University;

(d)

is expected to be present on campus or any designated University of

Malta site at least during normal office hours from Monday to Friday

throughout the year subject to the exigencies of an academic in

accordance with the University’s practices and needs and subject to

normal leave entitlement and public holidays as provided for at law;

should his absence be necessary and justified he must ensure that he is

immediately contactable through the secretarial staff of the Centre;

(e)

shall not give access to any information to any third party that is not

associated with the University of Malta, about any work or data that

relates to tasks conducted at the University of Malta without the prior

approval of the University of Malta; all work carried out within the

Centre must be treated according to Maltese data protection legislation;

(f)

is to abide with the statutes, regulations and policies of the University of

Malta, which are in force now or will become effective in the duration of

his tenure.

The Director of Finance of the University shall be the Treasurer of the Centre.