FOUNDATION STUDIES

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L.N. 143 of 2016

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

STATUTE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL FOR

FOUNDATION 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), 77(c)(d) and 136(3) of the said Act

Citation

This statute may be cited as the Statute for the International School for

Foundation Studies.

Interpretation

In this Statute, unless the context otherwise requires

“the Board” shall mean the Board of the International School for Foundation

Studies;

“the School” shall mean the International School for Foundation Studies.

Establishment

The International School for Foundation Studies is hereby established as an

institution within the University of Malta.

Objectives and Functions

The aims of the School shall be

(a) to administer and run foundation studies courses that provide students

who have not followed an educational system comparable to the one in Malta with

the knowledge as well as the personal and interpersonal skills and organisational

framework upon which to base their future studies;

(b) to engage and stimulate students whilst giving the appropriate support

needed to move from a fully structured educational environment in high school to the

knowledge, skills, and attitudes required of degree students;

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(c) to enable students to progress successfully to academic programmes of

study by offering specific training and support in those core areas where students

may require further assistance;

(d) to cooperate with the University’s academic entities where the School’s

students will continue their studies, in order to ensure the best possible level of

preparation in the various areas tackled by the School’s courses;

(e) to cooperate with other University units responsible for academic and

international affairs in matters related to the School; and

(f) to promote and facilitate intake of students at the School in collaboration

with other University academic and administrative entities.

Governance

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

(i) Chairman: Rector or his/her delegate;

(ii) Vice-Chairman: Director of the School;

(iii) the Area Co-ordinators of the School;

(iv) a person appointed by the International and EU Office ;

(v) a person appointed by the Council of the University;

(vi) a person appointed by the Senate of the University

(vii) up to two representatives of the academic staff of the School; and

(viii) up to three representatives (one from each area) of the students registered

with the School.

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

All members of the Board, other than those appointed ex officio, and the two

representatives of the academic staff, 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 School, 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 decide the policy of the School, to supervise its activities and administration,

and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, the Board may

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(i) approve strategic/business plans and annual estimates of revenue and

expenditure of the School 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 School or of particular activities;

(iii) publish an annual report on academic and administrative matters;

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

(v) recommend to the Council the creation or abolition of academic and non-

academic posts in the School;

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

Examiners for its courses; and

(vii) propose for the approval to the Senate, Programmes of Study and Study-

Unit descriptions of each course.

Appointment of Director and Staff

The School shall have a Director and Staff as follows

(a) the Director of the School 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 School and the needs of

the University, for a total period not exceeding four (4) years; and

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

practice.

Duties of the Director

The duties of the Vice-Chairman/Director shall include

(a) promoting the development and implementation of the School’s curricula,

including the School’s internal management structures as approved by the Board;

(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 as proposed by the Board of

Studies and as per guidelines established by the Programme Validation Committee;

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

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/business plan of the School;

(e) administering the School in full consultation with the members; monitoring

and approving requests for leave of absence of members of the School; 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 School;

(g) monitoring the running of examinations in the School and ensuring that all

assessment and examination results are submitted to the Registrar by not later than

the end of March, July and September, provided that the results are submitted to the

respective Chairman of the Board of Examiners within following deadlines

January session – by the end of the third week of March;

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May/June session – results by not later than two working days prior

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to the classification board;

September session – by the end of the third week of September.

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(h) encouraging and facilitating co-operation with faculties, centres and institutes

and other institutions;

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

Chairman;

(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 School 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

School for the outgoing year, which should include, amongst others, information

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that may be requested by the Secretary: a list of all conferences/seminars/meetings

attended abroad by members of the School during term time; and an outline of the

School’s collaboration with third parties;

(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 School, to cover the projected teaching, and

administration workload of the School, and based on the projected workload for each

Resident Academic member of the School and Visiting Teaching Staff;

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

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

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

efficiently; and

(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 School 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;

(c) should not be engaged in any other activity outside the University which may

be in conflict with, or distract him/her from, his/her 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 School;

(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 School must be treated according to Maltese data

protection legislation; and

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(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 School.

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