STATUTE FOR THE INSTITUTE OF MALTESE STUDIES

B

L.N. 15 of 2010

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

STATUTE FOR THE INSTITUTE OF MALTESE STUDIES

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.

Citation

This statute may be cited as the Statute for the Institute of Maltese Studies.

STATUTE FOR THE INSTITUTE OF MALTESE STUDIES

The Institute of Maltese Studies is hereby established as an institution within

the University of Malta.

The aims of the Institute shall be

(a) to promote the pursuit of interdisciplinary academic studies on various

aspects of Maltese culture by serving as a focal centre for both local and

foreign scholars involved in such research, enabling them to disseminate

their work among both fellow academics and the general public;

(b) to encourage and promote original research publications on all aspects of

Maltese culture;

(c) to provide postgraduate research degree courses leading to M.Phil. and

Ph.D. in Maltese Studies as a particular interdisciplinary area of study

subject to the Statutes and Regulations of the University;

(d) to organize local and international conferences and symposia, seminars,

public lectures, and other similar activities leading to a greater

comprehension and appreciation of Maltese culture in its widest

connotation;

(e) to network and liaise with centres for Mediterranean studies overseas; and

(f) initiate and constitute a research resource centre on Maltese culture,

including a database, a reference index of publications and other material

(photographic, electronic, etc.) on, and a bibliography of Maltese culture.

The Institute shall be governed by a Board that will consist of the following

(i)

Chairman: Rector or his delegate;

(ii)

Vice-Chairman: Director of the Institute;

(iii)

a person appointed by the Council of the University;

(iv)

a person appointed by the Senate of the University;

(v)

two representatives of the academic staff lecturing at the Institute;

(vi)

two representatives of the students registered with the Institute;

(vii)

two scholars of repute to be recommended by the Board and approved

by Senate.

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

All the 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 Institute, 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 Institute, 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 Institute 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 Institute or of particular

activities;

(iii) publish an annual report;

(iv)

enrol the Institute 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 Institute 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;

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

and non-academic posts in the Institute;

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

Examiners for undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

The Institute 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 Institute and the needs of the University, for a total period not

exceeding four (4) years; and

(b) the staff of the Institute shall be appointed by the University according to

the usual practice.

The duties of the Vice-Chairman/Director shall include

(a) promoting the development and implementation of the Institute’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 Institute as per guidelines established by

the Programme Validation Committee;

(c) ensuring that the study-units offered by the staff members of the Institute

are delivered in accordance with the advertised programme of studies;

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

lectures, seminars, tutorials and laboratory sessions 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 Institute;

(e) administering the Institute in full consultation with the members;

monitoring and approving requests for leave of absence of members of

the Institute; 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 Institute;

(g) monitoring the running of tests and examinations in the Institute 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 to 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

Institute 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 Institute 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 Institute for the outgoing year, which should include,

amongst others, information that may be requested by the Secretary: a

comprehensive list of recent publications of all members of the Institute;

a synopsis of all projects involving members of the Institute which are

wholly or

partially externally funded;

a list

of

all

conferences/seminars/meetings attended abroad by members of the

Institute during term time; and an outline of the Institute’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 Institute, to cover

the projected teaching, research and administration workload of the

Institute, and based on the projected workload for each Resident

Academic member of the Institute and Visiting Teaching Staff;

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(o) monitoring the performance of the non-academic staff attached to the

Institute;

(p) authorising the Institute’s procurement of equipment; ensuring that the

resources assigned to the Institute – 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 Institute

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 Institute is

engaged in normal teaching 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 Institute;

(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

Institute 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

Institute.