GARDENS AND RESOURCE CENTRE

B

L.N. 355 of 2016

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

STATUTE FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF MALTA ARGOTTI BOTANIC

GARDENS AND RESOURCE CENTRE

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 University of Malta Argotti

Botanic Gardens and Resource Centre.

Interpretation

In this Statute, unless the context otherwise requires

“the Board” shall mean the Board of the University of Malta Argotti Botanic

Gardens and Resource Centre;

“the Centre” shall mean the University of Malta Argotti Botanic Gardens and

Resource Centre.

Establishment

It is hereby established a University of Malta Argotti Botanic Gardens and

Resource Centre.

Objectives and Functions

The aims of the Centre shall be

(a) to promote higher education in the fields of botanical sciences including

research on bioactive compounds from plants, conservation of rare and endangered

species, and rehabilitation of degraded habitats;

(b) to preserve, update and expand the present plant collections at the Botanic

Gardens; namely, the herbarium, living plants and seed collections;

(c) to assist in the logistical and other aspects of degree, diploma or certificate

courses which the University may organise from time to time;

(d) to use the resource centre for the training of university students in botanical

sciences;

(e) to organise training programmes in the field of horticulture, botanical art,

botanical aspects of medicinal plants and related topics that are normally undertaken

at botanical gardens;

(f) to organise public lectures, conferences, seminars, tours and similar activities

to promote the indigenous and garden flora, aspects of green care, human health and

wellbeing and therapeutic use of plants;

(g) to encourage visits to the gardens by school children, tourists, and others and

to promote the gardens in local and foreign fora;

(h) to participate in funded projects; and

(i) to carry out other activities ancillary or conducive to the above aims.

Governance

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

(i) Chairman: Rector or his delegate;

(ii) Vice-Chairman: Director of the University of Malta Argotti Resource Centre;

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

(iv) a person appointed by the Senate of the University; and

(v) up to four scholars of repute in the field of botany 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 functions 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, and to supervise its activities and

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

may

B

(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; and

(iv) enrol the Centre in associations or institutions sharing similar aims and

interests subject to written consent from the Rector.

Appointment of Director and Staff

The Centre shall have a Director and Staff

(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 the

usual practice.

Duties of Director

The duties of the Director/Vice-Chairman shall include

(a) delivering and implementing the strategic plan of the Centre;

(b) administering the Centre; monitoring and approving requests for leave of

absence of administrative staff of the Centre; the Director is expected to maintain

records of all leave taken by staff and to pass on these records to the Director of

Human Resources Management and Development upon request;

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

institutions;

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

Chairman;

(e) ensuring and facilitating the further development and training of administrative

staff;

(f) participating at any meeting of the University congruent with the post;

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

B

(h) 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 synopsis of all projects undertaken by the Centre

which are wholly or partially externally funded; a list of all conferences/seminars/

meetings organised at the Centre; and an outline of the Centre’s collaboration with

third parties including local industry, Government or civil society at large;

(i) 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 administrative

workload of the Centre;

(j) monitoring the performance of the administrative staff attached to the Centre;

(k) 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

(l) 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) 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;

(c) 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

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

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

his tenure.

The Treasurer

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

€0.36