STATUTE FOR THE CENTRE FOR MOLECULAR MEDICINE AND BIOBANKING

STATUTE FOR THE CENTRE FOR

MOLECULAR MEDICINE AND BIOBANKING

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.512

STATUTE FOR THE CENTRE FOR

MOLECULAR MEDICINE AND BIOBANKING

19th May, 2015

LEGAL NOTICE 159 of 2015.

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

Molecular Medicine and Biobanking.

In this Statute, unless the context otherwise requires

"the Board" shall mean the Board of the Centre for Molecular

Medicine and Biobanking; and

"the Centre" shall mean the Centre for Molecular Medicine and

Biobanking.

The Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking is

hereby established as an institution within the University of Malta.

The aims of the Centre shall be

(a) to conduct academic programmes in the discipline of

Molecular Medicine and BioBanking;

(b) to store human and other biological samples and

associated data with suitable informed consent and

ethical approval according to best practices;

(c) to provide continuous education both at the

undergraduate and postgraduate levels within the

scope of the Centre subject to the Statutes, Regulations

and Bye-Laws of the University;

(d) to provide advanced molecular diagnostic services in

the health and related sectors;

(e) to work alongside/ collaborate with European and

international institutions with the aim to enhance the

profile of the Centre within the regional, European and

international research area, in areas related to

biobanking and biomolecular resources;

(f) to engage in knowledge transfer and awareness raising

initiatives on biobanking and biomolecular resources

with companies, organisations and other institutions

outside the University to promote best-practice (e.g. to

promote a more efficient use of biomolecular

resources; to promote better sample and data sharing);

(g) to disseminate acquired knowledge through online

media, publications, seminars, conferences and

teaching programmes; and

(h) to represent the University of Malta as the BBMRI.MT

node within the structure of the BioBanking and

STATUTE FOR THE CENTRE FOR

MOLECULAR MEDICINE AND BIOBANKING

BioMolecular Research Infrastructure of the European

Union.

The Centre shall be governed by a Board that shall consist

of the following

(i) Chairman: Rector or his delegate;

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

(iii) up to two persons appointed by the Council of

the University;

(iv) a person appointed by the Senate of the

University;

(v) up to two persons nominated by the Ministry of

Health and approved by Council of the

University;

(vi) an academic from the Faculty of Medicine and

Surgery;

(vii) an academic from the Faculty of Health

Sciences;

(viii) an academic from the Faculty of Science;

(ix) up to two representatives of the students

registered within the Centre;

(x) up to two representatives of academic staff

lecturing or conducting research within the

Centre; and

(xi) up to five scholars of repute to be recommended

by the Board and approved by Senate of the

University.

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 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, 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;

STATUTE FOR THE CENTRE FOR

MOLECULAR MEDICINE AND BIOBANKING

(iv)

enrol the Centre 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 Centre 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 Centre;

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

Studies and Boards of Examiners for

undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Iċ-Ċentru jkollu Direttur u l-Istaff kif ġej

(a) id-Direttur taċ-Ċentru jinħatar skont il-proċedura

għall-ħatra tad-Diretturi tal-Istituti u Ċentri kif

approvata mill-Kunsill tal-Università, għal perjodu ta’

sena, bil-possibilità li l-ħatra tiġġedded kull sena skont

kriterji stabiliti ta’ ħiliet, il-ħtiġiet taċ-Ċentru u tal-

Università, għal perjodu totali li ma jeċċdix l-erba’ (4)

snin; u

(b) l-istaff taċ-Ċentru jinħatar mill-Università skont in-

normi stabbiliti.

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.

The duties of the Director/Vice-Chairman of the Centre

shall include

(a) promoting the development and implementation of the

academic programmes of the Centre;

(b) compiling and submitting to the Registrar of the

University by not later than the end of December of

each academic year, an updated comprehensive

prospectus of the content of 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

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 under the guidance of the Board;

(e) administering the Centre in full consultation with the

STATUTE FOR THE CENTRE FOR

MOLECULAR MEDICINE AND BIOBANKING

members; monitoring and approving requests for leave

of absence of members of the Centre; maintaining

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 examinations at the Centre

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;

• 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 the third week of July, other

results as early as possible but not later than the

end of the third week of July;

• September session - by the end of the third week

of September;

(h) encouraging and facilitating co-operation with other

universities 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 Centre 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

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 Centre; 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;

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

STATUTE FOR THE CENTRE FOR

MOLECULAR MEDICINE AND BIOBANKING

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 teaching, research and

administration workload of the Centre, and based on

the projected workload for each Resident Academic

member of staff of the Centre and Visiting Teaching

Staff;

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

attached to the Centre;

(p) 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

(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 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 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 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 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, bye-laws and

policies of the University of Malta, which are in force

now or will become effective in the duration of his

tenure.

STATUTE FOR THE CENTRE FOR

MOLECULAR MEDICINE AND BIOBANKING

The Director of Finance of the University shall be the

Treasurer.

Treasurer of the Centre.