STATUTE FOR THE INSTITUTE OF DIGITAL GAMES

STATUTE FOR THE INSTITUTE OF DIGITAL GAMES

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.481

STATUTE FOR THE INSTITUTE

OF DIGITAL GAMES

21st January, 2014

LEGAL NOTICE 21 of 2014.

The title of this statute is the Statute for the Institute of

Digital Games.

In this Statute, unless the context otherwise requires

"the Board" shall mean the Board of the Institute of Digital

Games; and

"the Institute" shall mean the Institute of Digital Games.

The Institute of Digital Games is hereby established as an

institution of the University of Malta.

The aims of the Institute shall be

(a) to support the growth and development of the digital

games industry in Malta on strategic, educational and

research levels;

(b) to deliver a world-class education in game studies,

game design and development;

(c) to supply various departments, centres and institutes at

the University of Malta with digital game and virtual

world related teaching at various academic levels;

(d) to assist in generating and coordinating research and

funding efforts related to digital games and virtual

worlds;

(e) to engage in world-class, cutting-edge game research

disseminated in leading conferences, journals and

books in the field;

(f) to participate in international research collaborations,

funded and otherwise, with leading institutions in the

field; and

(g) to take a leading role in the development of the

international game research community through

participation in networking events, conference

organization, chairing and reviewing committees of

such conferences, journals and books.

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 DIGITAL GAMES

University;

(v)

up to two representatives of the academic staff

lecturing or conducting research with the

Institute;

(vi)

up to two student representatives registered in

one of the Institute’s programmes;

(vii)

up to two persons possessing expertise and

experience in the field of Digital Games, 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

student representatives 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 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

removal of academic and non-academic posts in

the Institute;

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

Studies and Examiners for postgraduate degree

programmes.

STATUTE FOR THE INSTITUTE OF DIGITAL GAMES

The Institute shall have a Director and Staff

(a) the Director of the Institute shall be appointed from

amongst the members of the Institute 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 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) general responsibility for the running of the Institute in

terms of the aims listed in paragraph 4(a) to (g);

(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) promoting the development and implementation of the

Institute’s curricula and research programmes;

(d) 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 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;

(e) delivering and implementing the strategic plan of the

Institute;

(f) promoting students’ academic and personal welfare

and providing first-line support to students with any

difficulties they may encounter during their studies in

academic programmes offered by the Institute;

(g) monitoring the running of examinations in the Institute

and ensuring that all assessment and examination

results are submitted to the Registrar’s Office within

following deadlines

•

January session - by the end of March;

•

May/June session - final year results by not later

than two working days prior 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;

STATUTE FOR THE INSTITUTE OF DIGITAL GAMES

(h) administering the Institute in full consultation with the

members; monitoring and approving requests for leave

of absence of members of the Institute; maintaining

records of all leave taken by members and passing on

these records to the Director of Human Resources

Management and Development upon request;

(i) encouraging and facilitating co-operation with other

universities and other institutions;

(j) chairing meetings of the Board in the absence and with

the permission of the Chairman;

(k) ensuring and facilitating the further development and

training of academic and non-academic staff;

(l) participating at any meeting of the University

congruent with the post;

(m) representing the Institute during official functions of

the University;

(n) compiling and submitting to the Secretary of the

University by the end of September of each academic

year, an annual report approved by the Board,

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;

(o) compiling and submitting to the Director of Finance of

the University, by not later than end of May of each

academic year budgetary estimates approved by the

Board 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;

(p) monitoring the performance of the non-academic staff

attached to the Institute;

(q) authorising the Institute’s procurement of equipment;

ensuring that the resources assigned to the Institute -

whether human or other - are utilized fully and

efficiently; and

(r) 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

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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

undergraduate and postgraduate 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/her 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; 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 Director of Finance of the University shall be the

Treasurer of the Institute.