STATUTE FOR THE INSTITUTE OF MALTESE STUDIES

STATUTE FOR THE INSTITUTE OF MALTESE STUDIES

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.362

STATUTE FOR THE INSTITUTE OF

MALTESE STUDIES

8th January, 2010

LEGAL NOTICE 15 of 2010, as amended by Legal Notice 142 of 2012.

The title of this Statute is 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

STATUTE FOR THE INSTITUTE OF MALTESE STUDIES

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

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.

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;

(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 of the Institute shall be appointed

according to the procedure for the appointment of

STATUTE FOR THE INSTITUTE OF MALTESE STUDIES

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

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;

STATUTE FOR THE INSTITUTE OF MALTESE STUDIES

•

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;

(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

STATUTE FOR THE INSTITUTE OF MALTESE STUDIES

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.