STATUTE FOR THE CENTRE FOR BIOMEDICAL CYBERNETICS

B

L.N. 474 of 2011

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

STATUTE FOR THE CENTRE FOR BIOMEDICAL CYBERNETICS

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 Centre for Biomedical

Cybernetics.

STATUTE FOR THE CENTRE FOR BIOMEDICAL CYBERNETICS

Definition and Interpretation

In this Statute, unless the context otherwise requires

“Biomedical Cybernetics” shall refer to the classical definition of

cybernetics as applied to biological and biomedical systems, that is, the

technology-abstracted study of biological and biomedical systems and signals,

and concepts such as the following, as applied to biological and biomedical

systems and signals: systems theory, analysis, modelling, behaviour and

control; data, signal and image acquisition, analysis and processing; study

and extraction of information, pattern and intelligence; understanding of

knowledge-directed processes; decision-making processes; and the design and

development of devices to achieve the above. The term shall also refer to the

application of digital technologies to medicine, health-care and wellbeing;

“the Board” shall mean the Board of the Centre;

“the Centre” shall mean the Centre for Biomedical Cybernetics.

Establishment

The Centre for Biomedical Cybernetics is hereby established as an

institution within the University of Malta.

Objectives and functions

The aims of the Centre shall be

(a) to promote and organise multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary

research, development and services in the field of biomedical cybernetics;

(b) to organise and run training programmes, study-units, undergraduate

and postgraduate courses as well as public lectures and professional courses

related to biomedical cybernetics, in collaboration with other University

institutions, as necessary;

(c) to collaborate with other University institutions and with

Governmental and Non-Governmental organisations in projects and services

of mutual benefit and interest;

(d) to network and liaise with centres and organisations related to

biomedical cybernetics and technologies, both local and overseas; and

(e) to serve as a resource centre and offer consultative services in the field

of biomedical cybernetics to stakeholders, such as health-care providers and

policy makers.

Governance

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

(i) Chairman: the Rector of the University or his delegate;

(ii) Vice-Chairman: the 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) up to two representatives of the academic staff lecturing or conducting

research within the Centre;

(vi) up to two representatives of the students registered with the Centre;

(vii) up to 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 members of the Board, other than those appointed ex officio; the two

representatives of the academic staff and the two representatives of the students

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

member will be eligible for re-appointment.

B

The functions of the Board shall be

(a) to govern the affairs of the Centre, subject to the provisions of this

statute and of such regulations, policies or directions as may from time to time

be approved by the Council and the Senate;

(b) to formulate 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 its aims

and interests;

(v) propose Regulations and Bye-Laws to the Senate;

(vi) require staff members of the Centre to produce reports

on academic matters, including the curricula of courses of study,

qualifications for admission to courses, examinations and certificates

of attendance or qualification, as well as project proposals for external

funding, and scientific publications;

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

academic and non-academic posts in the Centre; and

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

Boards of Examiners for undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Appointment of Director and Staff

The Centre shall have a Director and staff as follows

(a) the Director of the Centre shall be appointed according to the

procedure for the appointment of Directors of Institutes and Centres as

approved by the Council of the University, 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.

Duties of the Director

The duties of the Vice-Chairman/Director of the Centre 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 of the Centre 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 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 of the Centre 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 to the final year degree classification board but in any case not later

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

the end of July;

B

  September session – by the end of September.

(a) encouraging and facilitating co-operation with other universities and

other institutions;

(b) chairing meetings of the Board in the absence and with the permission

of the Chairman;

(c) ensuring and facilitating the further development and training of

academic and non-academic staff;

(d) participating at any meeting of the University congruent with the

post;

(e) representing the Centre during official functions of the University;

(f) 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

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 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;

(g) compiling and submitting to the Director of Finance of the University

by not later than the 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;

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

Centre;

(i) authorising the Centre’s procurement of equipment; ensuring that the

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

and efficiently; and

(j) performing other duties which may be assigned by the University from

time to time.

The Director of the Centre 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 of the Centre. If

the Centre is engaged in undergraduate or postgraduate taught programmes of

study then the Director of the Centre 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; and

(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 Treasurer

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

Centre.

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